Abandoned
by Englishgirl
Summary: The Dursleys have kicked Harry out and he finds himself again on the Knight bus. Featuring, sirius, Lupin & voldie. HP/GW. *COMPLETE*
1. Knight bus

CIRCLE OF LIFE  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing (looks around) except bed, TV, cat, clothes.....but not Harry Potter. It belongs to JK Rowling (sobs into keyboard hysterically for a few minutes before beginning the story).  
  
It was the summer after Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts. This summer was pretty similar to the others in that Harry was treated like an embarrassing secret that just happened to wait on everyone else hand and foot.  
  
Harry entered the kitchen and joined the Dursleys at the breakfast table. They continued their conversation, ignoring Harry. "Anyway, I've spoken to the school outfitters and they told me where I could go to get uniforms in that fit real men like Dudley, not those weedy kids they usually stock uniforms for." Said Uncle Vernon. Dudley had abandoned his diet, and so the Uncle Vernon had spent days shouting at uniform suppliers trying to find uniforms large enough for Dudley.  
  
"Where is this shop, Vernon?" said Aunt Petunia snatching the piece of toast Harry was about to eat and putting it on Dudleys plate.  
  
"London, which means we have to take him," said Uncle Vernon glaring at Harry "as we'll probably be there all day." It took over two hours to get to London from the Dursleys house, as the traffic was so awful.  
  
"Can't I stay with Mrs Figg?" Harry moaned. He hated going out with the Dursleys as the trips never went well, although Mrs Figg's house was very, very boring.  
  
"She's disappeared..probably dead, she's about a hundred" he chucked evilly to himself before continuing "so you have to come with us!"  
  
Several hours later they arrived at the shop. Harry was told to sit on a bench outside and not attract attention. The Dursleys marched into the shop and Harry sat on the bench. Directly across the road from where he was sitting he saw the Leaky Cauldron.  
  
'Maybe I could go in', Harry thought aimlessly 'the Dursleys will probably be ages.' Just as he was about to rise from the bench and go in he heard two people talking as they walked behind him, one of them was Lucius Malfoy  
  
"The raid last night was excellent, I really missed the terrified screams that only muggles can manage."  
  
"Does the Dark Lord know where Harry Potter's relatives live yet?" Harry looked at the ground and fiddled with his shoelace, desperate to keep his face hidden. The two men crossed the road and entered the pub, not knowing how close they had come to fulfilling their masters desire for revenge. 'no,' thought Harry, 'I'm definitely not going in there.'  
  
Harry's summer may have been like any other except for one thing, nighttime. He had nightmares every night about what happened in that graveyard. How he had caused Cedric's death. The memories of seeing his parents come out of Voldemort's wand and the memories of the Cruciatus curse.  
  
About an hour passed on that bench. Harry supposed that Dudley must pose a real challenge to the outfitters. Just as Harry was wondering if it was possible to die of boredom, he heard a shout behind him. "Harry, what do ya think yeh doin'!" Harry jumped up and spun finding himself facing none other than Rubeus Hagrid. "Did you have to do that? You nearly gave me a heart attack!"  
  
"What are you of all people doin' sittin' outside of the Leaky Cauldron? Anyone could see yeh!"  
  
"You think I don't know that! The Dursleys made me come. They're in there (he pointed to the outfitters) with Dudley getting his school uniform."  
  
"So why are you out here when they're in there?"  
  
"They told me to wait outside."  
  
"What! Surely yeh told 'em what danger you're in."  
  
"Well, no." Hagrid looked furious.  
  
"Yeh didn't tell them! Are you mad!"  
  
"Hagrid, they don't want to know. I'm not even allowed to say the word 'magic' in their house. Can you seriously picture them sitting through a 'last year at Hogwarts' talk?" At that moment the three Dursleys came out of the shop and began marching towards the multi - storey car park. Uncle Vernon yelled over his shoulder "Get a move on boy!" Hagrid grabbed Uncle Vernon by the back of the jacket and roared  
  
"What the hell do yeh' think you're doin', leavin' him outside by himself?"  
  
"You!" Roared uncle Vernon "You're that freak who came to take him when he was eleven! Leave us now or I will call the police!"  
  
"Shut up Dursley! Do you have any idea what might've happened while he was out here? Harry has one of the most dangerous murderers ever after him!"  
  
"What!" shouted Uncle Vernon, his face pale.  
  
"I said, Harry's in danger, he's only safe with you three. Take him back to that house of yours. If anything happens to him I'm holding you personally responsible!" Uncle Vernon grabbed Harry by the arm and dragged him back towards the car park, sending a death glare at Hagrid.  
  
When they all got back to the Dursleys' house Uncle Vernon shoved Harry into the living room and immediately began shouting at him. "Why didn't you tell us that someone was after you? Someone who would have to come through us to get to you! The murderer could be on his way here now! Get out. I don't care where you go, just get away from here!" With that Uncle Vernon left the room and began collecting everything of Harry's at the front door. Harry was in shock. He couldn't believe that the Dursleys were sending him out to die. He was quite happy about never seeing them again but what was he going to do? Uncle Vernon re-entered the room and ordered Harry up to his room to gather anything he had missed.  
  
About 10 minutes later Harry was outside in the growing darkness pulling his things along behind him. He decided to pause for a rest and to decide what to do now. Staying outside would be suicide, he needed to talk to someone in the wizarding world that could help him (Hedwig was delivering a letter to Sirius). He could go to the Weasleys', but that would put them in danger.  
  
Harry decided to hail the Knight bus and decide then. He stood near the kerb and stuck out his hand. The purple bus that he had taken two year before appeared with the deafening bang.  
  
Stan Shunpike stepped down and caught sight of Harry "Neville! Pleasure to see you again. Where to this time?"  
  
"Uh, I'm not sure yet. Can I come aboard and decide as you take everyone else to their places?"  
  
"Course! We're pretty full tonight. You'll 'ave to go to the top deck." Harry gave Stan the money and walked up the stairs (His things were magicked up there by Stan.  
  
The top deck had two other occupants; one was an old man who was snoring gently in his bed. The other was a woman whose face Harry couldn't see, as she was deeply immersed in a book about the history of London.  
  
Harry fell onto his bed exhausted. He however could not fall asleep. He hated to admit it, but he was scared. He had nowhere that he could go without putting people in danger, and if Voldemort found out that he was away from the Dursleys, he could kill Harry in a heartbeat.  
  
Harry began taking slow steady breaths with his eyes closed in order to gather his thoughts. He would go to Diagon Alley, collect some money and hide somewhere. He then just had to hope that Voldemort was so set on discovering the Dursley's house that he wouldn't think to look elsewhere for Harry.  
  
Just then Stan came upstairs with a hot chocolate "Here ya go Neville. Do you know where ya going yet?" "Yeah. Diagon Alley please." "Ok. You'll be there in a few hours." With that Stan turned back towards the stairs, almost falling down them as the bus made a great leap into Manchester. As Harry lay back with his drink he heard a woman's voice behind him.  
  
"Neville?!" Harry turned around and almost dropped the steaming mug when he saw that the woman who had been reading the book was none other than Professor McGonagall. "P-P-Professor?"  
  
"Harry, what on earth are you doing here? Why aren't you at the house of those horrible mug - your relatives?" Harry looked at her, she looked very angry.  
  
"Well, they threw me out."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"They found out that they where the only things stopping Voldemort from killing me and they were scared that he would hurt them to get to me, so they threw me out. The only thing is, they were right, Voldemort is probably even now plotting their - and my - death." The professor's eyes were oddly shiny as she spoke next.  
  
"Harry! You mean to tell me that those people left you out to die! If they were worried they could have written to Dumbledore to see if he could provide additional protection, not-"  
  
"They've been looking for an excuse to get rid of me for years, and they think wizards are freaks; so there's no way they'd even consider writing to one of us."  
  
Harry put his head in his hands and stared through his fingers at the mug of hot chocolate that rested on the floor. Professor McGonagall sat next to him on the bed and said gently  
  
"Where were you going to go?"  
  
"Dunno. I was going to get money and then think of somewhere to hide."  
  
"Oh Harry why didn't you owl one of us and we could've helped you"  
  
"Ron has Hedwig, and besides there wasn't time they just told be to leave."  
  
"OK we'll go to the Weasleys' their house is almost as protected as the Dursleys' and we'll use their fireplace to contact Dumbledore.  
  
As Professor McGonagall moved towards the stairs to tell Stan the change of plan, Harry's scar began to burn fiercely. He had a brief vision of Voldemort Killing everyone in a muggle pub with a look of delight twisting his evil face. Harry cried out and looked at the hand that he had clasped to his scar as it had begun to burn, it was covered in blood. Although the vision had ended he still heard the screams and Voldemort shouting out "The blood is on your hand Potter, it is because of you that these people are dead! You bought me back!" Then Harry was again alone in his own mind.  
  
Harry looked up and saw Professor McGonagall and Stan looking at him horrified. She ran up to Harry and grabbed his hand. "Where did that come from? Are you hurt? What happened?"  
  
"Had a vision. Voldemort. He killed muggles and told me that the blood meant that it was my fault. It's on my hands!"  
  
"You know that's not true! You were here. He was the one with the wand!" Harry suddenly felt everything that had happened since that night in June crash in around him. He grabbed onto the Profesor and burst into tears. She held him tightly as he cried. It went in for almost half an hour - Harry pouring out the horrors that had taken place in the graveyard, the horrible nightmares and the visions that he got whenever Voldemort killed someone.  
  
Eventually they broke apart and Harry seemed to remember himself. He set his face into a mask-like neutrality and looked away, drying his tears with the back of his hand. It was only then that he noticed that Professor McGonagall was also crying. "I had no idea. I mean I knew from looking at you when the portkey brought you back that you had been through something terrible. Have you told anyone else about the way you have been feeling since? Your friends, relatives?"  
  
"No. I shouldn't have told you either, you don't need my problems."  
  
"Harry, there's nothing wrong with-"  
  
"Ottery St Catchpole!" Stan shouted from downstairs. Harry and Minerva made their way outside to the Weasleys' house in silence and knocked on the door. A Ginny Weasley that looked as though she had been running opened it. She barely had time to acknowledge who it was when the Weasley twins came chasing after her with muggle water pistols and began squirting her. Ginny squealed and ran into another room. The twins looked into the doorway and both simultaneously went a deep red.  
  
Harry and Professor McGonagall shared an amused glance before Harry asked, "Can we come in?" The twins, still looking heartily embarrassed at being caught playing with muggle toys that they could only nod in response.  
  
When they entered the house, professor McGonagall instructed Harry to wait in the living room with the twins while she went into the Kitchen, where Mr and Mrs Weasley were talking. Harry walked over to the slightly worn sofa and slumped into it. Fred and George, now having regained their composure sat next to Harry and Fred said  
  
"Harry, not that it's not great to see you and everything, but what are you doing here exactly?", before Harry had a chance to answer, George added  
  
"Yeah and why did you bring Professor McGonagall?"  
  
"Well, uh, the Dursleys threw me out and I met McGonagall on the Knight bus"  
  
"They threw you out?" the twins shouted together  
  
"Yeah. Where's everyone else?"  
  
"They're upstairs. Hey, how about we use this moment to show you some of the products your money has helped us develop?"  
  
"Okay!" The twins ran upstairs to get the 'products' and Harry leaned back into the sofa.  
  
The next thing Harry knew, he was being poked awake by Mr Weasley. "Harry, come on, wake up." Harry blearily opened his eyes, surprised at how quickly he had dozed off.  
  
"How long.."  
  
"You've been asleep for about an hour. The twins tried to wake you but McGonagall told them not to."  
  
"Oh."  
  
At that moment the other Weasleys, McGonagall and Dumbledore entered the room.  
  
Dumbledore waked up to Harry and took his hand, which still had some blood on it (Harry had tried to clean it on a tissue in his pocket), he then held his wand over it and muttered a few words. The blood changed to a strange blue colour before disappearing entirely.  
  
"Muggle blood." Dumbledore muttered before looking up at Harry.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"I'm fine"  
  
"No Harry, Minerva told us what has been going on. Please answer truthfully"  
  
"I'm just a bit tired. And.." Harry paused he had been about to admit that he was afraid. Voldemort had obviously played on his feeling of guilt by conjuring the blood onto his hand. What would happen if he admitted fear? Unfortunately Dumbledore guessed what he had been going to say.  
  
"Scared? Harry, if I'd been seeing visions like the ones you're having when I was your age, I'd have been terrified."  
  
"What's going to happen to me?"  
  
"You are going to stay here with us. That is, if you want to"  
  
"Won't I be putting you at risk?"  
  
"Probably" said Molly "but you are like a member of the family - people take risks for family." Harry was dumbfounded - family. He'd never expected anyone to ever say that to him. Eventually he found his voice  
  
"I'd love to stay." Molly ran over and enveloped Harry into a bone-breaking hug.  
  
A/N Ok this idea came to me when writing an essay (a.k.a bored) but I hope you like it. The story gets more original later - keep on readin' 


	2. Assassin

A/N I don't own Harry Potter. Never will.  
  
Thanks to the reviewers. I've always thought McGonagall was a bit motherly too.  
  
Abandoned  
  
Chapter 2  
  
As Harry settled into life at the Weasleys he began to relax for the first time since the third task. Percy, who had moved out and was now living with his girlfriend Penelope, had left an empty room, which Harry had been more than glad to move into.  
  
The room was relatively small but the walls were painted in autumn colours which Harry found very relaxing. Fred and George were always coming in for 'brainstorming sessions' whereby the three of them (and usually Ron) lazed around designing new products and deciding who they would be tested on back at Hogwarts.  
  
  
  
Another new development in Harry's life (which he was most anxious to hide from Ron) was the fact that he and Ginny were growing closer. A couple of days ago they had shared their first kiss in the orchard behind the Weasley house.  
  
  
  
However at this moment, Harry had other things on his mind. He was asleep and having a vision of Voldemort. Voldemort was talking to two people.  
  
"You will attack Potter first. He will not suspect that type of attack. Kill him. If you fail I will then send you" Voldemort said turning to the second person "This boy is coming perilously close to fulfilling that ridiculous prophecy. IT MUST NOT BE ALOLOWED!"  
  
The two people took a step backward before nodding grimly and disapperating  
  
Harry awoke with a start and found that he was shaking - he had felt the fury of Voldemort as he had been shouting. He also felt the hate Voldemort harboured hitting him in waves. He had never thought it was possible to feel like that. Harry got out of bed and stood up. Ron was standing in the doorway, looking worried "Another nightmare?"  
  
"No, I heard Voldemort talking to some people, assassins I think. They were plotting to kill me before 'I fulfil my destiny' whatever that means" Harry you've got to tell Dumbledore - maybe he can put more wards up. Did you hear him say that he knows you're here?"  
  
"No. But he wouldn't be sending assassins unless he knew would he?" The two of them ran down the stairs and Harry spoke to Dumbledore over the fire while Ron filled Mrs Weasley in.  
  
  
  
"What did he mean 'destiny'" Harry asked Dumbledore  
  
"I believe he is referring to the vision Professor Trelawney had when you were a small baby. I have been loathe to tell you this until now, but basically you are supposed to kill (or at least harm) Voldemort when you are 15 years old. That is why he has been trying so hard to kill you."  
  
"But I'm already 15"  
  
"True, which is why Voldemort is getting worried. I don't think he believes the prophecy really but he fears death so much that he is not prepared to risk it. Harry the assassins that I think he hired are not actually wizards. They are muggles born with a special power. Each one is different."  
  
"How many of these assassins are there?"  
  
"Only two are currently in existence. I am surprised that they agreed so easily as these people are not inherently evil. He must have them scared."  
  
"What powers do they have?"  
  
"Each is different, but the advantage is that these people must work alone. Being too close together disrupts their power."  
  
"Oh. We were supposed to go to Diagon Alley today, what with school starting tomorrow and everything - can I still go?"  
  
"These assassins are not affected by wards so it doesn't matter where you are. Be careful and don't leave Molly's side."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"Good. See you tomorrow"  
  
"Bye."  
  
  
  
As Dumbledore's face disappeared from the fire, Ron and Mrs Weasley came in. The three of them sat at the kitchen table. "What did he say?" asked Mrs Weasley  
  
"He said that they are assassins with an unknown magical power. They are not wizards so they can attack me anywhere. He said we could still go to Diagon alley."  
  
"Okay Harry, but we all stick together. We are harder to attack as a group."  
  
"Regretting taking me in yet?"  
  
"Not for a second." Mrs Weasley said.  
  
"Yeah, I mean, nobody can degnome like you!" Ron said, receiving an elbow in the ribs from his mother. At that moment Ginny came running in.  
  
"Mum! I saw a grim!!!!" She looked positively terrified Harry jumped up, grinning  
  
"Snuffels!" He ran outside and greeted the Huge black dog that was his godfather, Sirius. "come in. we can talk in my room. You nearly gave Ginny a heart attack!" The two of them walked back into the house. Ginny (still white as a sheet) was sitting with the twins and Mrs Weasley who was explaining about Sirius being an animagus and innocent of the crimes for which he was convicted.  
  
"So he's innocent?" asked George  
  
"And he's not a grim?" asked Ginny  
  
"Sirius, transform." Said Harry. Sirius transformed back into a man and he sat down at the table with the others.  
  
The seven of them sat and caught up on what the others had been doing. Sirius had been meeting with Dumbledore and 'the old crowd', in an attempt to reduce the chance of Voldemort taking over. Eventually Sirius asked  
  
"Harry, please, could I talk to you, alone?"  
  
"Yeah. We'll talk upstairs."  
  
"Harry you can talk in here. We can leave." Mrs Weasley said.  
  
"No it's OK, stay. Come on Padfoot." They stood up and headed upstairs. Just as Harry opened his bedroom door, he heard from downstairs  
  
"Padfoot! The real, actual Padfoot?" in Fred's awed voice.  
  
" Did you have to call me that?" Sirius asked. "Now I'm going to be stalked by two ginger pranksters for the rest of my life." Harry had told Sirius where he had got the marauders' map.  
  
"Oh come on. You know you want to guide them in the ways of the prankster."  
  
"Hmm. Yeah. It could be nice to get them to pull some practical jokes on Snape. Get some revenge for being mean to you all those years." The two of them sat on the side of the bed staring out of the window for a while.  
  
"Sirius, what did you want to talk to me about?" "I heard that you'd heard about the prophecy, and I needed to make sure you were ok before I-"  
  
"Before you what?"  
  
"Dumbledore is sending me and Mundungus to search in Africa for an ancient tome, which is basically supposed to-"  
  
"Stop!" A horrible thought had just occurred to Harry.  
  
"What is it?" Sirius said worry crossing his face.  
  
"Don't tell me your plan. What if Voldemort gets visions of things I do like I get visions of him? He could be listening right now. I mean, he may have overheard me saying about how guilty I was feeling about Cedric, which is why he conjured that blood onto my hand!"  
  
"Bloody Hell. Okay. I won't say anything." Sirius paused and studied Harry before continuing. "Harry you are not responsible for what that - monster - does to people."  
  
"So everyone keeps saying."  
  
"it's true."  
  
"Sirius, when will I see you next?"  
  
"Soon, hopefully. I have to go now. Will you be alright?"  
  
"I'm Ok. Go complete whatever mission you are on and come back. Don't let Voldemort harm you."  
  
The two embraced briefly and Sirius left the room and headed out. Harry pulled on his shoes and got some money out of his trunk. There was a knock on the door. Ginny entered when Harry opened the door. "I like what you've done with this room. It was boring when Percy lived here."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"So. When are we going to tell the others about us?"  
  
"Not yet. I think Ron'd kill me if he found out that I had begun a relationship with his little sister, without asking his pernission"  
  
"Permission?!" Ginny said looking angry  
  
"I think it's sort of an unwritten law."  
  
"Oookaay. But soon though?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
  
  
That evening the Weasleys and Harry were walking back to the Leaky cauldron from Diagon Alley. They were laden down with bags of shopping. The sun was beginning to set, creating a lovely pink sky. They were chatting happily. "So Snuffles is really Padfoot?"  
  
"Yeah. And Professor Lupin is Moony." Said Ron to George.  
  
"My dad was Prongs" added Harry  
  
"Wow. You are actually decended from one of them?"  
  
"Yeah" Said Harry smiling. Mrs Weasley was smiling at the lighthearted conversation, but trying to look disapproving at the same time  
  
"So it was your father who told me that I was a nosy old bat when I found the map in the boys room and was trying to discover what it did?" Harry reddened and as tried to suppress a snort of laughter at the picture of the look Mrs Weasley would have worn after reading it. (The map insulted people who were trying to read it without being 'up to no good') However Harry's attempt to remain calm disrupted his concentration and he tripped on a cobble stone, spilling most of the things that he was carrying.  
  
"It's Okay, I'll see you in there. Ron give me a hand will you?"  
  
The others stood carried on walking and stood outside of the pub, obviously wanting to keep an eye on Harry. As Harry and Ron were picking up the potion vials that had rolled everywhere, Harry saw something small and black running towards him so fast it was more like a blur. The next second, before he had time to react he felt a searing pain on his hand . He gave a yell and shook off what looked like a spider with a protective shell. Harry threw one of his bags at it and it landed directly atop the spider - thing.  
  
"You Ok Harry?" asked Ginny as Mrs Weasley and the twins lifted the bag to see exactly what Harry had thrown off.  
  
"I think so." Ron had managed to trap the creature in a potions jar (and handed it to George - Ron still hated spiders) and the six of them made their way back to the Burrow.  
  
  
  
Arthur who was now home from work began comparing the creature to the animals in 'The Monster book of monsters' and Mrs Weasley began to cook. Fred, George, Ron and Ginny were playing exploding snap at the kitchen table. Harry went upstairs to sort out his new possessions. He supposed that he should have told someone that it had actually bitten him, as he forgot to in the excitement of everyone trying to decide what it was.  
  
Harry looked at the back of his hand. You could probably count the fangs that thing had by the number of tiny holes it had made. Harry stood up and went to the bathroom across the hall to wash the wounds. Standing up again was a huge mistake. Harry's head was spinning. He grabbed onto his headboard for support. The spider thing may have been poisonous, why hadn't that occurred to him? Harry walked slowly back towards the stairs using the wall for support. He just began to descend the staircase when the world went from colourfully spinning to black.  
  
A/N What did ya think? I think this chapter read as being a bit rushed, but I wanted to get Harry to Hogwarts. I may do the next chapter tonight as well so you'll get a double helping. 


	3. Poisoned

A/N Don't own Harry potter.  
  
Abandoned  
  
Harry awoke. He was in a dimly lit room. Alone. He reached for his glasses and put them on. He was at Hogwarts, In the hospital wing. Why?  
  
The memories from Diagon Alley came creeping slowly back into his mind. He had been bitten by something. Harry felt so tired. His body ached as though he had been running for days.  
  
He tried to sit up, but didn't manage it until his fourth attempt. Should he try to get up?  
  
Harry looked around. There were no screens around his bed so he could look around the room. He heard quiet voices coming from Madame Pomfrey's office. Harry decided that considering the trouble he had gotten into last time he had stood up to stay in bed. He lay back down and loudly cleared his throat. Another big mistake. His throat was very sore, as though he had been shouting very loudly. Harry began coughing more violently and small spots of blood littered the pale blue blanket.  
  
Madame Pomfrey, and professors McGonagall, Dumbledore and Snape came running from the office. "Okay Potter, you need to slow down your breathing. Try to stop the coughing if you can" came Madame Pomfrey's worried voice. With immense difficulty, Harry succeeded.  
  
"What's wrong with me?" He said in a hoarse voice. Talking was very painful.  
  
"You were poisoned by the first assassin Potter" Snape said with a bite of impatience.  
  
"Was it an animagus? How did it know where I was?"  
  
"Sort of" Dumbledore said "This was a muggle with the natural ability to turn into any insect he pleased. He could have been following you for hours. Waiting for the right moment to attack you. The poison of the spider was very deadly. We nearly lost you."  
  
"What did it do to me?"  
  
"You were able to get early treatment, so we could prevent a lot of the damage, but needless to say, it attacked all of your systems at once. That is why you are feeling so weak. That and the fact that you broke several bones falling down a flight of stairs onto a stone floor." Snape smiled cruelly as he said the last part.  
  
"I went to get help, I guess I didn't quite make it."  
  
"Still. Your attempt saved your life." Added Dumbledore. Madame Pomfrey asked Harry  
  
"Do you want something for your throat."  
  
"Yes please" Harry mumbled "why does it hurt so much?"  
  
"The antidote is very acidic. You have some nasty burns in your mouth. Still, I'm sure as nobody wants the boy who lived to suffer you'll be healed." And with that Snape swept out of the room.  
  
  
  
Harry drank the potion for his throat and was left alone with Dumbledore and McGonagall.  
  
"Harry, I'm going to see to it that there is always somebody with you when you are in a room that can come to your aid when the second assassin comes. I have to go and tell Arthur and Molly that you are alright. They are currently in the Great Hall as I ordered them out to get some food. See you later." ( I was alone just now, Harry thought, but decided not to comment).  
  
Minerva sat down next to Harry, who asked "How long was I asleep?"  
  
"About two days."  
  
"Oh." Harry looked up at the ceiling, not wanting to meet his professor's eye after what had happened on the knight bus.  
  
"How have you been settling in to life with the Weasleys?"  
  
"It's good. I have my own room and I get on with everyone, so yeah. Good"  
  
"Excellent. Have you had anymore visions?"  
  
"No - except with the assassins." Harry then gave a huge yawn.  
  
"Try to get some sleep. - you might feel a lot better in the morning" the professor said kindly. Harry looked at her wearily. If he hadn't met her on the knight bus then he wouldn't have survived the summer.  
  
"Thank you." He whispered  
  
"For what?" But Harry didn't answer. Waves of exhaustion overcame him and he fell asleep.  
  
  
  
A/N This chapter is shorter than the others. Sorry. It's almost 1 O' clock a.m. Who knows? If I had done this earlier Harry may save stayed awake a bit longer! 


	4. Not again!

ABANDONED CHAPTER 4  
  
The next morning when Harry awoke, Madame Pomfrey was standing over him, as though annoyed that he had taken so long to wake up.  
  
"Finally." She said as Harry sat up "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Much better thank you. My throat is still a bit sore though."  
  
"That should completely go away soon. The potion I gave you last night works slowly. Anyway, I've checked you over, and you seem fit enough to return to classes today." Harry stared, usually Madame pomfrey tried to keep you in for days and days - just in case.  
  
"I think you've spent far too much time in here since you came to this school. That and I don't want to spend the entire day watching you in case you are attacked."  
  
"ookay. I'll be going then"  
  
"I'll be in my office so you can get dressed. Shout at the first sign of trouble!"  
  
Harry pulled on his uniform, which had been folded at the end of his bed and began another round with a hairbrush vs. his hair. While he was doing this a girl with red hair came running in.  
  
"Harry! I was so worried! When you fell down the stairs Dad immediately began to turn a spoon into a portkey to get you here, but you - you stopped breathing! I thought you would die!" Ginny said all this very fast then threw her arms around Harry and burst into tears.  
  
"Shhh" Harry put his arms around Ginny and hugged her comfortingly for a few minutes before pulling her into a deep kiss. At that moment the hospital wing door opened again. Harry and Ginny broke apart and turned quickly to see who it was.  
  
Hermione Granger was standing in the doorway with a very broad grin on her face. "Hermione!" Harry gasped "It's not what it looks like - Ok it is, but PLEASE don't tell anyone. I need to talk to Ron first!"  
  
"Hermione please!" Said Ginny  
  
Hermione, for her part continued to stand in the doorway grinning like an idiot for a few seconds before coming to her senses and enveloping both of them in an excited hug.  
  
"That is so sweet! I always knew you should be together!" Hermione looked like she might start crying too, so Harry quickly added  
  
"Hermione, calm down! " his eye caught a covered plate that Hermione had thrown onto the bed when she had hugged them. "what's that?"  
  
"Breakfast" Hermione sat in the chair beside the bed and regained composure as Madame Pomfrey re - entered the room and began labelling a tray full of potion bottles that were steaming, as though freshly made. Ginny, her face a deep shade of red left with a little wave at Harry.  
  
"I bought breakfast. You slept through it. When are you telling Ron? I mean he isn't Ginny's keeper, it's not like he can do anything even if he doesn't like it. But you've got to be honest!"  
  
"Hermione, I'll tell Ron when I get him alone. And yes, I'll be honest and everything. Thanks for the toast"  
  
  
  
As Harry had apparrantly slept through divination, his first class was Defence Against The Dark Arts. Professor Lupin was back! Harry and Hermione slipped into seats either side of Ron and began taking notes on 'basic hand - to - hand combat strategies, useful if deprived of your wand'. As Hermione was such a fast note - taker, she kept pausing to look over at and grin at Harry. Ron and Harry found this to be very irritating. After class, professor Lupin left at the same time as the students so Harry couldn't go congratulate him on being back. Instead he, Ron and Hermione headed to the Great Hall for lunch.  
  
"Harry, is there something you need to tell me?" said Ron between mouthfuls of roast lamb. Harry choked.  
  
"What!?"  
  
"It's just that Hermione kept smiling at you in a weird way all class. Are you going out?"  
  
"No we're not!" Hermione said before Harry.  
  
"So why were you doing that?"  
  
"I was pleased to see that he escaped another near death experience unscathed"  
  
"Oh." Harry, felt relief that Hermione was so quick with excuses like that.  
  
"So, Ron. Why do you think Lupin's back?"  
  
  
  
The next class was double potions. Harry was partnered with Neville. Unfortunately, Neville was his usual trembling self and nearly spilled a dragon's blood all over the desk. The class were all making an antidote to Basilisk venom. "when are we ever going to need this in the real world?" seamus muttered at the desk next to Harry's.  
  
Harry, could think of a least one occasion but chose not to comment. Besides, the subject of 'venom' was one that Harry didn't want to think about too much since the spider incident. At the end of the class, Snape walked impressively to the front and said "Now, who's antidote shall I test?" Everyone knew before he even moved that he would select Harry and Neville.  
  
"So, let's see if this potion, is as useless as your usual efforts" Snape said to Neville. Potter, come to the front and stand by the blackboard.  
  
"Professor, I've only just got over the last time I was poisoned, and anyway, I've been bitten by a basilisk before."  
  
"Don't argue with me! Anyway, you should be an expert by now, so stand at the front before I deduct 40 points from Griffindor!" Harry stood by the blackboard, wondering if he should be running out of the classroom at top speed. Snape walked over to Harry and poured the vile liquid down his throat. At that moment, a strange feeling came over Harry.  
  
He could feel Snape's emotion! Snape hated him. Well that was no surprise, but there was also a touch of.jealousy! Harry sank to his knees as the venom took effect. Snape held him and made him drink the antidote, then stood back, another vial in his hand. It's a back up in case this one doesn't work. He could feel Snape's desire to use it. To prove himself over him and Neville. However, the antidote worked. Harry's head cleared and he stood and shakily walked to his desk. The bell rang and the class headed for the door. As he left the room, the feelings that he had been getting from Snape disappeared.  
  
Sorry to add the topic of poison again - it was a necessary part of the story. Don't worry it will not happen again. Review and tell me what you think - anything you would like to see in later chapters? 


	5. Emotions

Disclaimer - still not mine  
  
Thank you for the reviews!!!!!! I was just going to an exam when I stopped by the computer room to check my e- mail. They gave me a nice, happy, confident feeling  
  
Lil Lupin - Sirius may appear at some point - be patient young one.  
  
ABANDONED - CHAPTER 5  
  
The bell signalling the end of class rang out loudly. Harry stood up threw his stuff into his bag and walked out of the classroom with Ron and Hermione. As he walked out he cast a sidelong look over his shoulder at Snape who was looking angrier than usual. "You alright Harry?"  
  
"Huh?" replied Harry who was still looking at Snape. "Oh, yeah. Bit disoriented"  
  
"Do you need to go the hospital wing?" Hermione replied.  
  
"No, lets just go back to the common room." The three of them traipsed back to the common room, Ron carrying Harry's bag and Hermione muttering about how 'unprofessional' it was that Snape kept picking on Harry.  
  
As both Ron and Harry had not done their charms homework over the summer that was due in tomorrow they sat by the fire surrounded by dull textbooks.  
  
"I think you should write to Sirius. Tell him about the assassin and Snape."  
  
"He's on business for Dumbledore, so I don't want to worry him. Anyway, could you imagine what Sirius would do if I told him about Snape! He'd curse him into the next millennium!"  
  
"And that would be bad because.."  
  
"Hmm.Maybe I should" The two boys continued writing with amused smiles on their faces as they pictured Sirius cursing Snape. 'This is it'. Harry thought. 'Tell him now'. He took a deep breath.  
  
"Ron, stop writing for a moment there's something I need to tell you."  
  
"Ok" said Ron slowly, looking puzzled.  
  
"Well, uh. When I came to your house over the summer, your mum sent Ginny and me outside to pick the apples from the orchard. And we got talking. We talked for hours before realising - "  
  
"Realising what?" Ron asked when Harry paused  
  
"We realised that we had.feelings" Harry had now turned a deep shade of red that could rival a typical 'Weasley' blush.  
  
"Feelings?" Ron asked suspiciously  
  
"Yeah. We um.. we're kind of going out. She's my girlfriend."  
  
"Your girlfriend. That's funny. You and Ginny, yeah. That's gonna happen." Ginny chose this moment to walk over and ask Ron what time he was going downstairs for dinner. Ron turned to Ginny, apparently wanting to turn the joke back on Harry "Harry says that you and him are going out."  
  
"Yes" Ginny said looking very relieved "we are."  
  
Ron looked amused as he sized his sister up. "You're not joking. Are you?"  
  
"No. I'm not." Ron paled.  
  
"go to dinner Ginny. I need to talk to Harry." Ginny stood, mouthed 'good luck' at Harry and left the room - very quickly. "how Dare you?" said Ron.  
  
"what?"  
  
"you and my little sister. Without even telling me!"  
  
"she's not little Ron. She is only a year below me, it's not like I'm cradle robbing!"  
  
"But you should have told me earlier. Hermione knows doesn't she? That's why she kept grinning at you!" Ron seemed to be desperately trying to find fault with Harry as they argued.  
  
"Hermione walked in on us kissing this morning! You're the first person I've actually told."  
  
"Kissing?!"  
  
Fred and George came walking up and stood between Harry and Ron. "My God! What on earth is going on here!"  
  
"Harry, whom we fed and housed, is dating our sister! Can you believe the nerve!"  
  
"Harry?" Said George in disbelief "Wow. Who'd of thought? Our little Ginny dating the boy who lived. Well done mate." The twins clapped him on the back with broad smiled before continuing "you do realise though that if you hurt her we'll have to kill you, don't you?"  
  
Harry stood mutely back, unsure how exactly he was supposed to react, when the feelings that he had been having in potions returned with full force. He felt the seething anger in Ron that was directed towards him. The twins were thrilled. But an emotion Harry didn't expect were within all three of them. Extreme distrust. They must be thinking that he was going to hurt Ginny!  
  
"I will never do anything that could hurt Ginny! I swear!" The feeling intensified.  
  
Fred answered "I know you wouldn't. But the people who get close to you tend to- " Harry had heard enough. He turned and fled from the room. They knew what happened to Cedric. They knew it wasn't his fault - didn't they? And Ron! Why was he so angry? Harry went to the great Hall. He needed to talk to Ginny. As he entered the hall however, Dumbledore was giving a speech.  
  
"I am afraid that the attack left twelve people dead and a further 6 wounded. The ministry has not yet left the names out to be publicly viewed, but I'm leaving the fireplaces in the hall open to anybody who thinks that their families may have been in Gringotts at the time of the attack.  
  
Everyone in the Hall looked panicked. Again Harry felt the emotions in the Hall. It was nearly overwhelming him. 'Have to get to Dumbledore' was the only clear thought running through his mind. Harry staggered to the front of the hall. Ginny ran up to him and grasped his elbow for support. "Harry, What's wrong?"  
  
"Dumbledore." Harry rasped.  
  
The two of them walked slowly to the front of the hall. Harry leaned on the table. Dumbledore stood and moved around the table next to Harry "What is it? Your scar?"  
  
"No - help me please. It's too much. Too much fear."  
  
"Harry what are you talking about?" Harry staggered away from the table and headed for the door, hands clasping his head. Dumbledore helped him into an empty corridor, Ginny closely behind. As they got further from the hall, some colour returned to Harry's cheeks.  
  
"I don't know what's happening. I think when people are feeling strong emotions, I can sometimes feel it too. I can't block it out." Harry felt warmth and love (!) coming from Ginny. He grasped onto this like an anchor.  
  
"Ok. I want you to come to the teachers' tower with me. There's nobody there at the moment so you should be alright. Miss Weasley. Please tell Professor McGonagall to inform the rest of the students of the attack and to supervise use of the fireplaces. Tell her I may be some time." Ginny reluctantly turned and headed back.  
  
In the common room of the teachers tower (which contained a magical radio, and a huge selection of books and chess sets) Harry sat down in a large armchair and leaned back with his eyes closed. Appreciating the silence of his own mind.  
  
Dumbledore selected a larger armchair and sat regarding Harry for about ten minutes. "Professor. What attack, was it Voldemort?"  
  
"No. It was some death eaters. It seems that Voldemort is most anxious to confirm his presence to the wizarding world but does not yet feel powerful enough to go himself. I am sure that there will now be several students here who are now missing a family member. If it wasn't for Arthur Weasley's quick evacuation of the bank the situation would have been much worse."  
  
Waves of sadness came from Dumbledore, although it did seem as though he was trying to control them.  
  
"is Mr Weasley alright?"  
  
"He'll be fine. I think he'll have a nice curse scar on his back from a deatheater who used the fire curse on him though." The two sat in silence for a few moments more before Dumbledore spoke up again "I need you to tell me now what's wrong."  
  
Harry told Dumbledore about Snape and that he had had an argument with Ron and what happened in the hall. "and sitting here now, I can feel your curiosity and worry and sadness and even some anger. I can guess what they are about but I can't like read your mind. It's so confusing! How can I feel anything if there are always loads of other people's feelings as well getting in the way?" Harry looked at Dumbledore expectantly for a while until the answer came.  
  
"You have inherited this from your father's mother. It's called empathy. Everyone can sometimes feel what others do but usually by reading body language. Occasionally when people walk into a room they get a strong feeling, like they just know that something bad happened there, or when you spend all day worrying about a person you haven't seen in years, only to discover that they are ill or have lost a relative. You and a small number of others can feel this all the time."  
  
"Are they insane? I don't see how you couldn't be with constantly feeling every feeling there is from other people."  
  
Dumbledore smiled kindly "No Harry, they aren't insane. If you can feel emotions, you have to learn to block them out."  
  
"How?"  
  
"You already know. You just need to remember - it's like an instinct for an empath. I'll help you."  
  
Harry and Dumbledore sat in the teachers lounge all night, and most of the following day trying different techniques to see which worked best for Harry. Eventually, they found that Harry could block out other feelings by visualising a large stone wall around his mind. If he wanted to let someone's feelings in he had to imagine a drawbridge opening towards that person.  
  
"It's gonna take some practice Harry", Dumbledore said. "You'll always be feeling the general mood of the people within the castle and will be able to tell how many people are in a room before you enter it." Dumbledore's eyes gave an extra twinkle as he added "What your father wouldn't have given for this power. Never to get caught doing anything. Even passing notes in class."  
  
"how?"  
  
"Well you'd always be able to tell who their attention was focused on wouldn't you. If I catch you doing this however, I will not be impressed."  
  
"Er, right thanks Professor." Harry left the teachers' lounge and went towards Griffindor tower. The last classes had just finished so he could finally go to bed.  
  
As Harry entered the tower, he felt a sombre mood, not surprising after yesterday but it was nothing he couldn't handle. He stopped at Ginny's side as he walked toward the dormitory, told her that he needed to talk to her in the morning and kissed her lightly on the cheek before going to bed.  
  
As Harry walked into the dorm he could tell that Ron was in his bed with the curtains closed there but decided to ignore him and go to sleep.  
  
Harry awoke when he felt a rather large jab on his arm. It was Ron. The sky was Dark and everyone was asleep. "What? I was trying to sleep."  
  
"It's about yesterday. I'm sorry for getting so upset. I mean, to others my sister is probably quite attractive so I can understand that you fancy her but I don't want you to go out. She could get hurt."  
  
"Ron, I'll try to keep her safe I promise. But Ginny is old enough to decide for herself. You can't stop her from doing what she will. When Hermione was her age she was going out with Krum. He's years older than Hermione!"  
  
"OK. I'll drop it but I'm not happy about it, and if any thing, I repeat anything happens to my sister I'll never forgive you. I know that it's not your fault what You-know-who does but you do know he's after you so please don't be too public about it. I don't want the slytherins to find out!"  
  
"I promise." As Ron turned away, Harry's mind was racing. What if Ginny got in the way between him and Voldemort; like Cedric, his parents and even (but in a different way) Sirius?  
  
  
  
A/N: Any suggestions for the Harry / Ginny relationship? I already have a story plan but I wanna see where others want it to go. 


	6. Dursleys

Disclaimer: Not mine  
  
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! To all those who reviewed.  
  
David 305: good advice. I'll bear it in mind.  
  
Moo: sorry for the spelling mistake. Will use spell check next time as it upsets you.  
  
Nacho man: thanx. Like the idea.  
  
Runa R: oookay. Although you do have a point. I like being English.  
  
Kateydidn't: Harry is only guessing about Voldemort getting visions, you may find out the truth l8er.  
  
  
  
Abandoned chapter 6  
  
  
  
The next morning Harry got up and went down to the common room to meet Ginny. He knew she was already there before he spotted her, sat by the fire reading her History of Magic textbook.  
  
"Hi Gin." He went over and sat next to her. "Breakfast?"  
  
"Ok." As they walked down to the great hall, Harry told her about his new power. Ginny got redder and redder.  
  
"Can you feel what I'm feeling now?"  
  
"Only if you want me to. I wouldn't just go digging around in your mind. I might accidentally feel things though."  
  
"Good. I mean. You should know by now how I feel, I just would prefer it if you weren't constantly like, monitoring me."  
  
"I'll try." Harry didn't want to tell her what he had felt that time in the corridor as he felt she was red enough already. The two of them sat down in the hall with the other Griffindors, and began breakfast.  
  
The owl post came at its usual time, and there was a letter from Hagrid for Harry asking him to come for tea. Harry turned towards Hagrid who was sat at the teacher's table, caught his eye and nodded.  
  
The first class was divination. Harry and Ron walked the long journey to the class and sat around the tables. Each table had four crystal balls on it. Harry, Ron, Dean and Neville were sat around the table at the back of the room nearest the window.  
  
"Not this again.." Ron groaned.  
  
Harry looked hard at the crystal ball. Nothing, just the normal foggy depths -hang on this wasn't normal, there was a strange shape in the crystal. He looked closer, excited.  
  
"What is it Harry?" Neville asked noticing the look on Harry's face. Dean and Ron stared at him, as if expecting a huge revelation. Harry looked closer  
  
"I see something" Professor Trelawney walked up behind him  
  
"Concentrate hard boy." Her breath was hot on the back of his neck. He fidgeted, trying to ignore her.  
  
"It's, It's.." the Snape was long, and wavy, almost like - he picked it up "A crack. Someone's dropped the stupid thing!" Professor Trelwaney backed of looking very irritated. Everyone around Harry's table snorted with laughter.  
  
"Ooooh, harry! I predict that this wavy crack represents the turmoil of the future!"  
  
"Nothing good could be shown by such a crooked line!" The teasing and giggling continued, the 'predictions' getting steadily more bizarre, for the rest of the class. Still, Ron seemed to be being friendly. That had to be a good thing.  
  
  
  
History of magic and charms both passed without incident and soon the school day was finally over. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny (who demanded to come) went down to Hagrid's hut.  
  
He opened the door startled. "Four of yeh? Ok well, you best come in" They went and sat around the table.  
  
"Harry, I asked yeh here so I could say sorry. I know what happened with them Dursleys after I left. Professor Dumbledore is takin' you there tomorrow to get 'em to take yeh back"  
  
"I don't want to go back! They threw me out not caring if I lived or died!"  
  
"Dumbledore reckons it's still the best for ya and that they do care - summat like that anyway. He thinks he can reason with 'em. I tried to tell 'im but he wouldn't listen"  
  
"Why hasn't he told me?"  
  
"I said I would."  
  
"Oh." Harry was fuming. Why were people always trying to decide things for him?  
  
  
  
The five of them sat and drank the tea, swapping summer stories, before returning to the dormitories. The next day, Professor Dumbledore met Harry in the entrance hall and they travelled to Surrey.  
  
The nearer Harry got to number four Privet Drive, the more he was taken by a sinking feeling. The Dursleys weren't going to take this well. Dumbledore and Harry were wearing muggle clothing. They knocked on the door.  
  
The door was answered by none other than Aunt Marge.  
  
"Hello."  
  
"Aunt Marge. What are you doing here?" Harry was thrown by her being here. The Dursleys were going to flip when they found out that Harry had bought another wizard round during one of her visits. However, Aunt Marge was completely ignoring said Wizard and rounded instead, upon Harry.  
  
"Insolent boy! Still haven't improved then. I always say, if a boy doesn't have good manners by the time he goes to high school, then he will be socially inept forever. Speaking of which, why aren't you there now? Vernon told me they lock you in there."  
  
Harry was desperate to wear a huge insane grin and announce in his scariest voice "I escaped" but he didn't think this wise, especially with Dumbledore standing next to him. So instead he replied "This is my headmaster. He wants to talk to my aunt and uncle. Privately."  
  
"Good morning Madam. I am Professor Albus Dumbledore. Are Harry's guardians at home?" At this moment Harry's 'guardian' came to the door.  
  
"We don't want you're kind around here anymore."  
  
"I need to talk to you about this."  
  
"Marge. Please go to the high street and get something for us to have for dinner tonight."  
  
"Vernon.."  
  
"Please."  
  
"Oh alright." Marge took her coat from the hook by the door and left. Harry and Dumbledore made their way into the kitchen.  
  
Taking Harry completely by surprise, Dumbledore turned to Vernon and Petunia, who had been baking a cake in the kitchen.  
  
"I have had enough of your despicable treatment of Harry. For years you've kept him down. Treated him with nothing short of cruelty and a complete lack of respect! I am disgusted. However, he needs to be with you for protection, as you well know. I wrote it in the letter to you when I left Harry here. You've been taking advantage of that ever since!! Now more than ever Harry needs your protection and you respond by throwing him out! I assure you that this is the most magically protected house in this country. You owe your protection to Harry. This summer he was lucky. Being away from here could have easily meant his death. It very nearly did!"  
  
"You have no right to come barging into MY house telling me how I should and should not be treating this freak! You have no idea what he has been like all of these years. Things disappearing, changing colour, moving around! If we hadn't kept him in the cupboard he could have destroyed our house! Our neighbours could have found out!"  
  
"Cupboard!? I knew from the Weasleys that you didn't give him enough food or decent clothes, but what's this about a cupboard?"  
  
"They locked me in the cupboard under the stairs when I accidentally used magic as a child." Harry said as Vernon and Petunia seemed to have lost the power of speech. Harry was adding extra 'walls' to his mind to block out the hate.  
  
"What?"  
  
Vernon managed to say between gritted teeth "The boy had to be punished. He is not living here anymore and we will never protect him. Get out of my house. If that murderer comes around to find the boy, and you've made us keep him here, I will hand him over. I need to protect my own family."  
  
"Harry is your own family!"  
  
"No I'm not. Professor, I'd rather be in danger than stay here. Don't make me."  
  
"Alright." Dumbledore sighed wearily. "We'll have to find a backup plan of some kind."  
  
Professor Dumbledore gave a poisonous glare at the Dursleys and left the house. As Harry and Dumbledore marched down privet drive, Dumbledore waved his wand and the protection around number 4 vanished.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me about the cupboard?"  
  
"It's embarrassing. Hang on. You knew they didn't give me enough to eat and you still sent me there?"  
  
"I didn't find that out until your second year, by which time it was definitely safer for you to miss a few meals than be attacked by Sirius Black, or later Voldemort. I should have checked on you when you were younger though. I'm sorry Harry"  
  
The headmaster looked at his student fondly. He handed Harry the portkey, made a mental note to tell Arabella Figg that she could leave Privet drive and the two of them returned to Hogwarts.  
  
  
  
A/N this chapters a bit shorter than I like than I like them to be. I'll try and update at the weekend. Busy, busy, busy. 


	7. quidditch

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter - not making any money etc.  
  
Thanks to those who reviewed!!!!  
  
Abandoned - chapter 7  
  
The weeks slipped by at Hogwarts, and soon the quidditch season came around. To everyone's surprise, Colin Creevey replaced Oliver Wood as keeper, and Katie bell was made captain. Harry and Ginny were still going out. Although this was now common knowledge among the Griffindors, it was agreed that no one in the other houses was to find out.  
  
The first match was scheduled for the next day, the night after Halloween. Currently however, Harry, Ron and Hermione were enjoying the feast in the great hall. Ron and Harry were agreeing to disagree over his relationship with Ginny and therefore not discussing it.  
  
"I can't wait till tomorrow Harry. I hope you beat Malfoy." Ron said enthusiastically.  
  
"Yeah. If his daddy dearest doesn't curse me. He always comes to the quidditch matches." Harry replied  
  
"Nah, he won't, too many people. It'll be great to see the look on his face when you beat his son - again. I'll bring those omnioculars!" The three of them laughed as they imagined everyone in the Griffindor stands staring simultaneously at Malfoy through omnioculars at the end of the match.  
  
Unfortunately, Dumbledore's assurance at the beginning of term that Harry would not be alone was beginning to irritate him slightly. If he ever slipped away from the crowds for a breather (from having to concentrate on not being an emotional sponge) somebody would always seem to appear at his side within 60 seconds. He suspected that the professor had a kind of alarm that sounded whenever he was alone.  
  
Once he had actually considered locking himself in the chamber of secrets, but immediately changed his mind when he realised that was probably what Voldemort used to do. Tomorrow was going to be very tiring. All of those people in one place like that.  
  
He went to bed early and slept soundly all night. He was woken by somebody whispering his name in his ear.  
  
"Ginny!?"  
  
"Good morning. I came to wish you luck for the match, as you know, we have that whole not in public thing going."  
  
Harry pulled Ginny into a kiss before getting up and ready for the match.  
  
The stadium was, if anything, much fuller than usual. As there had been no quidditch in the previous year, everyone had been really looking forward to this season. Some people had even come to watch the practice. Dennis Creevey always came and sat happily in the stands taking pictures of his brother.  
  
The Creeveys' photography was now legendary in the common room, since the brothers had completely surrounded the fireplace with their pictures. It was actually very unsettling sitting in front of the fireplace, with all those faces smiling and waving at you.  
  
The team took off. Lee Jordan was commentating as usual. Both teams were on very good form. This was going to be a close game. Harry however, was only concerned with catching the snitch before Malfoy, who was using his favourite tactic of distracting Harry by yelling insults at him, and not really paying attention himself.  
  
Harry however, was ignoring everything except the snitch. He scanned the stadium for it, occasionally trying to distract Malfoy by shooting off in some random direction. Finally he saw it. It was hovering mere centimetres from the ground at the base of one of the quidditch hoops. He dived. Malfoy followed. The two of them flew down at such a speed Harry wasn't entirely sure that he would be able to avoid hitting the post.  
  
He flew closer, closer, until his hand closed around the small golden ball and he pulled straight up and performed a loop-the-loop in the air to avoid the post. Malfoy swore as he missed it by millimetres and shot straight at Harry for revenge. Harry dodged and suddenly found himself surrounded by the rest of the team as they prepared to defend their seeker.  
  
Harry became aware of the chanting and cheering from the Griffindor stands, and Madame Hooch positioned herself deliberately between the two teams before officially announcing; "Griffindor wins! 200 points to 70!"  
  
On the way back up to the common room Harry decided that after the intense match he needed five minutes peace and quiet. He stopped in a random corridor and sat down, leaning against the wall. He had barely been there for thirty seconds when he felt someone walking towards him. Severus Snape.  
  
"What are you doing here Potter?" Snape barked  
  
"Resting."  
  
"Professor Dumbledore informed me of your 'gift'" Snape sneered "you have a detention on Wednesday in my classroom."  
  
"What for?" Harry spluttered  
  
"Just in case. Now get back to your tower." Harry couldn't believe how unfair Snape was. He stormed off without sparing the potions master so much as a backwards glare.  
  
The party in the common room that night was the best ever. Harry convinced Fred and George to test their new product on Ron. It made you spend an hour able to say nothing other than the name of the person you most fancy. Harry felt that a bit of romance would do his friend some good.  
  
Ron spent the entire hour saying "Hermoine" and trying to curse Harry and the twins (he couldn't though because every time he pointed his wand all he could say was. "Hermione"). Hermione herself disappeared into her dormitory with in the first ten minutes and was not seen again for the entire evening.  
  
When Ron was able to choose his own words again he marched up to Harry "That was your idea wasn't it?"  
  
"You fancy Hermoine?"  
  
"Don't change the subject."  
  
"I thought that was the subject."  
  
"Arrg. Shut up." Ron looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him up on the spot. Then he glared at Harry "Now she knows, how am I going to stand a chance?"  
  
"You stand a much better chance than before when you were so busy not telling her."  
  
Ron sighed in annoyance and marched up the staircase away from Harry.  
  
As he left, every girl in the common room burst into overwhelmed fits of giggles and the boys fell about laughing. Even Ginny who was very protective of her brothers could not hide her amusement.  
  
The twins however were complaining that they would now have to shorten the time that the product worked for, as it was so annoying nobody would ever buy it.  
  
By Wednesday the whole thing seemed to have blown over. Ron had managed to convince Hermione (which was a miracle as Hermione is supposed to be so clever) that it made you say the name of your closest friend, and so they were continuing as though nothing had happened.  
  
That evening, Harry was sitting in detention with Snape. Snape had him slicing potions ingredients for the store cupboards. He had been there now for an hour. Snape was reading a book, pausing every now and again to threaten Harry with horrible things if he ever dared to try and read his emotions. This threat actually made it more tempting so he lowered his guard, just a little to see if Snape would actually be able to tell.  
  
The professor gave no sign at all that he noticed so Harry continued chopping. Then he was overcome by a strange feeling. He could feel Snape's presence in the room, but it was now like there was something else as well. Something that was not quite right, like there was half of another person. This feeling was actually coming from Snape's direction, but Harry was sure that it wasn't him.  
  
Could it be a ghost? He had never felt one before, perhaps his power was growing. The wall behind Snape seemed to ripple slightly. Before Harry could say or do anything a blurry arm shape launched itself from the wall and connected with the potions master's head. Snape grunted as he was knocked unconscious, a small trickle of blood running down his face.  
  
This was it! The second assassin! Harry ran for the doorway, but the ripple in the wall moved at a huge speed around the room, before a humanoid figure stepped out of it. The figure stood in front of the door, blocking Harry's way.  
  
Harry lifted a stool and swung it hard at the person. They gave an "oomph" sound as the wind was knocked out of them. Harry tried to dash past the person but they caught him and pulled him into the room.  
  
Harry pulled his wand on the assassin (a man?) as they picked up the knife that Harry had been using. The assassin lunged as Harry cried  
  
"Stupefy!"  
  
The assassin was already leaping at Harry when the spell hit him and stunned him. However, he fell in the direction that he had jumped and Harry felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. He looked down. The knife was embedded in him, blood seeping onto his clothing. Harry fell to the floor, and held his hands around the blade, trying to stop the blood escaping. Everything went dark.  
  
  
  
A/N One of my first fight sequences. Go me! I'll try to get the next chapter up on Sunday or Monday. 


	8. aftermath

Disclaimer: not mine and not making any money from this.  
  
THANKS FOR REVIEWING!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Am so happy (and a bit surprised) that so many people like the story. I keep telling random people about getting reviews, and then having to explain to them what fan fiction is, as a scary number of people have not heard of it.  
  
Abandoned - chapter 8  
  
When Harry awoke he was still on the floor of the dungeon. He tried with effort to focus on the person that had woken him. They were pushing down on his abdomen. Harry groggily tried to push the hands away  
  
"Go away"  
  
"Harry! You're awake, thank goodness. It's Remus Lupin, please try to stay awake for me."  
  
"Why am I here?" Harry was having difficulty thinking straight.  
  
"You were stabbed. SEVERUS! WAKE UP!" He shouted at somebody Harry couldn't see.  
  
A groan came from the other end of the classroom. "Bloody hell. My head."  
  
"Severus, get Poppy, now!"  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Harry was attacked by the second assassin, he was stabbed." Remus paled "There's blood everywhere."  
  
"How did I know this would have something to do with Potter". Snape mumbled as he staggered from the room clutching his head.  
  
Harry felt himself loosing consciousness again.  
  
"Harry, look at me." Harry fought to keep himself awake; Remus' face seemed so far away. "Ok, tell me about - tell me about how you got past that dragon last year."  
  
Dragon? Harry thought, oh yes, THAT dragon  
  
"Used my Firebolt."  
  
"I need more than that Harry, I wasn't there remember." Remus said, desparately trying to get Harry to talk and stay awake.  
  
"Oh, I -" The dungeon door banged open and Madame Pomfrey and Albus Dumbledore entered.  
  
"Harry, are you alright?" Said Professor Dumbledore  
  
Madame Pomfrey gave a long-suffering sigh "Of course he's not alright Albus". She then lifted Harry's shirt and jumper. They were stained dark red.  
  
This time Harry couldn't resist the waves of exhaustion. He was so cold..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Harry felt himself slowly waking up. He was somewhere warm and soft. He slowly opened his eyes. The hospital wing...again. He turned onto his side. Professor Snape was in the bed next to him. Having noticed that Harry had woken he fixed him with his best glare.  
  
Harry glared back and turned onto the other side. A big black dog was asleep on the armchair by his bed. Harry reached out and poked it softly. The dog woke instantly and seemed to give Harry an appraising stare before jumping up and pulling screens around Harry's bed, growling at Snape as he passed.  
  
With a small pop the dog transformed back into Harry's godfather. "Harry! I was so worried. How are you feeling."  
  
"Alright. Glad to see you."  
  
"It's mutual." The two hugged briefly before Sirius sat back on the chair.  
  
"Yesterday was the first day on my mission for Dumbledore that I could safely receive post. I got a letter telling me that you were attacked at the end of the summer and that you have a new power. I came straight here of course to make sure you are alright and met Pomfrey, Dumbledore and Moony carrying you here with a major stab wound! Are you trying to send me to an early grave?"  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Why? If that moron who gave you a detention for no reason had been paying attention-"  
  
"It's a hospital screen Black, not a soundproof barrier, I can hear you." Snape said.  
  
"shut up Snape."  
  
"At least it's over now. There were two assassins and they both failed. Voldemort will have to think of a new plan now." Harry said quietly.  
  
"yeah. Harry, please be careful. He's not going to just give up and until I'm done with this mission I can't protect you like I want to."  
  
"you're leaving again?"  
  
"I have to. It's so hard to leave you here like this but I promised Albus. If I had a choice."  
  
Harry looked at Sirius. He knew that he was being truthful about how hard it was to leave him, but he was getting so tired of it. He just wanted someone - an adult to be there no matter what. Harry looked Sirius in the eye and said in a (hopefully) confidant voice  
  
"I know. Anyway, you'll be back after the mission. It'll be fine."  
  
"Your parents would be so proud of you." There was a cough that sounded suspiciously like someone was trying not to laugh from the other side of the screen.  
  
"Sirius, do you know when I can get up?"  
  
"The wound in your stomach his nearly completely healed, you just have to be careful for a few days. You will probably be a bit sleepy as well for a while as you make up for loosing all that blood. Apparently you can return to your dorm tonight." Harry and Sirius spent the rest of the day talking about things like quidditch and playing exploding snap.  
  
At lunch Ron, Hermione and Ginny came by and they joined in the game of snap, which lot louder and louder until Snape announced that he would get more rest in the middle of the great hall during a feast, and he left to sleep in his room in the teacher's tower.  
  
That night Harry and Ginny sat by the fire in the common room arms round each other as they celebrated another of Voldemorts' plans failing miserably.  
  
  
  
Time at the school seemed to race past as before they knew it, the Christmas holidays came round. For the first time ever Harry was going to the Weasley's for Christmas (Dumbledore was allowing Harry to be there for Christmas day as a treat, despite being worried about when Voldemort was going to make his next move).  
  
Harry and Hermione were the only Griffindors left in the tower over the rest of the holiday. They used the time mostly to begin revision for the OWL exams. Although Harry felt that it was unnatural to begin revision 6 months in advance, the power of Hermione's nag was formidable.  
  
On Christmas day Harry and Hermione got up really early and went to Dumbledore's office to floo over to the Weasley house. Harry was feeling very excited. He had never had a 'proper' Christmas, and despite being a 15 year old he could barely restrain himself from bouncing up and down on the spot in excitement.  
  
When Harry stumbled out of the fireplace it was 9:00 in the morning. The Weasleys were gathered around a tree in the living room waiting for them. Mr and Mrs Weasley immediately gave Harry and Hermione a big hug and kiss on the cheek before they joined the boys and Ginny around the tree.  
  
The present opening lasted for ages, especially as about 20 other members of the Weasley family turned up just after Harry and Hermione. Various people in the group commented on how nice it was to have 'the boy who lived' at their Christmas party. Some of the littler children kept fighting over who sat next to him. The best thing was that they had all bought him gifts, (Ron had told Harry to expect this so he got them all gifts in return). Although Harry wasn't happy about the attention that he was getting because of who he was, it was the best day of his life.  
  
The Christmas dinner lasted into the late afternoon, and Harry and Ginny, with some of the smaller Weasley cousins had a snowball fight with Ginny's brothers. By the time Harry and Hermione had to go back to Hogwarts, they were completely exhausted.  
  
Back in the common room they collapsed into armchairs. "That was really different from Christmas at my house! It's a shame that I gave Muggle studies up, I could have got extra credit for an essay comparing them. Is it different from the Dursleys?"  
  
"Really different! There were so many people there and they all helped with cooking and things. Only one person usually does that as the Dursley's."  
  
"Yeah, at my house it's usually my Mum." Hermione continued missing the undertone in what Harry had said. "The presents were great weren't they? I got so many!" this seemed to cheer Harry up a bit.  
  
"yeah! I loved the camera that the twins, Ron and Ginny got me, I can join the Creevey Paparazzi club!"  
  
  
  
When the next term started and everyone came back the common room suddenly felt so small with all those people in it, rather than just him and Hermione. As a surprise for the Griffindors, Hermione and Harry had constructed a photo collage of Hogwarts and the grounds made up of about 50 photos on another part of the common room wall. They had labelled it 'Potter and Granger exhibit' in flashing gold writing. The Creeveys were furious, which everyone else found very amusing (everyone in Griffindor had at some point or another, constructed a plan to sabotage the famous 'Creevey camera').  
  
A/N Ok I have to leave it there for now - I hope to update soon.  
  
Had to let Remus save Harry, as he couldn't in my other fic 'candle in the wind'.  
  
I will read the fics of anyone that reviews! 


	9. Attack!

DISCLAIMER: not mine, not making any money.  
  
THANKS FOR REVIEWING!  
  
Nachoman - thank you for reading and reviewing all of my stories.  
  
Reviewers of Muggle Experience: thank you. I am going to update soon.  
  
ABANDONED CHAPTER 9  
  
The first day of the new term began with defence against the dark arts. Professor Lupin decided that the one duelling club meeting that was run three years ago would not actually be sufficient if any of the students actually had to duel for their lives. The class (consisting of Griffindors and Hufflepuffs) was divided up into pairs with a specific list of curses and counter curses to practice. They could also use the magical shield charm to defend themselves.  
  
Harry was teamed up with Ron. The two of them faced each other and bowed. Harry cast first. Ron deflected easily and they made their way down the list of curses to practice. There were cries from various people around the room who were obviously not very good at shielding. Lavender was crying, her partner, Hermione was showing no mercy.  
  
Professor Lupin made his way around the room demonstrating moves to those having difficulty. When he approached Harry and Ron he looked relatively unimpressed  
  
"Come on boys, this is a duel. Both of you can obviously cast the shield charm, so cast faster, move in less predictable ways. Otherwise how can you expect to learn any counter curses?"  
  
Ron leapt forward and caught Harry by surprise with the stunning spell. As he was revived and stood back up clutching a sore back from where he fell, Ron said,  
  
"Hurts doesn't it Harry? You don't want me to do that again do you?"  
  
Harry paled, almost the exact words that Voldemort had used when torturing him with the Cruciatus curse. He knew Ron had said it playfully, expecting a retaliation but still...those memories. Harry backed off and looked around, everyone (except Lavender) was so happy, everyone was enjoying the class immensely. These people had no idea. He felt worry from Ron and Lupin, so he rebuilt the emotional defenses and turned.  
  
"Are you alright Harry?"  
  
"Y-yeah. Fine"  
  
"Harry." Lupin said warningly  
  
"That's what Voldemort said to me after the Cruciatus curse. Got distracted for a second there."  
  
Ron looked so guilty that Harry decided that he should probably resume the duel and got Ron with the tickling charm. He doubled over laughing hysterically and cursed Harry back.  
  
Lupin smiled sadly and left them to it so that he could help Lavender against Hermione.  
  
At the end of the class Professor Lupin called Harry back. "Ok?"  
  
"Yeah. It happened over 6 months ago, I'm over it. That just reminded me."  
  
"It's a big thing to get over."  
  
"S'pose"  
  
"Harry, if you ever need to talk to anyone about what happened, or anything that is worrying you, I'm here."  
  
"Thanks. I sometimes find it difficult to talk to anyone in Griffindor tower about that stuff..."  
  
"And I suppose that you don't have any adults that you feel you can be open with?"  
  
Harry felt suddenly embarrassed and shook his head. Was Lupin going to think that he couldn't look after himself?  
  
"look, when I was your age, I found it hard to talk to teachers too. But on the other hand there were adults that I could get advice from. As a friend of your parents I would kind of like to be an honorary friend of yours. So, you know, I'm here. I won't be offended if you never come though. It's entirely up to you."  
  
"Thanks professor." Harry mumbled. He turned and left the classroom, heartily embarrassed but still, actually quite pleased.  
  
Harry walked back up to the dormitory and collapsed into one of the armchairs. He smiled as he looked at the photo collage he and Hermione had made. The Creeveys were now trying to do an even bigger one so Fred and George cursed the camera so no matter what the photo was supposed to be of, it always developed as a picture of the twins waving and making funny faces.  
  
Ron and Hermione came and sat with him. They were bickering about how Hermione was far too competitive and would never let anyone else win anything "You made Lavender cry Herm, it took Parvati over 10 minutes to calm her down!"  
  
"Yeah well, you never let anyone else win at chess!"  
  
"You don't just LET people win at chess."  
  
"So why should you let people win at duels?"  
  
"Hey!" Harry interrupted "can you two please call a truce?"  
  
Ron and Hemione looked at Harry annoyed that he had interrupted. Hermione looked ready to tell Harry to mind his own business when Ron interjected  
  
"Sorry about what I said after stunning you Harry. I was just messing around. Is that really what You-Know-Who said to you?"  
  
"Yeah. Don't worry about it though. I mean the words were said in a completely different way by you, I over reacted."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yeah, I mean you were just playing around, Voldemort was trying to get me to...beg."  
  
This was the first time that Harry had mentioned what had happened to them. They stared at him for a while before Hermione threw her arms around Harry and burst into (what Harry viewed as very inappropriate) tears.  
  
"You are (sniff) so brave!" Hermione wailed  
  
"Hermione! Get off. I'm not brave and I'm getting tired of people saying that I am. I was attacked and I did what I could to survive. That's it!"  
  
Ron prised Hermione from Harry's arms and the three of them went down to their next class.  
  
St the end of the day they went down with the rest of the school for dinner. This was the anniversary of the schools founding so a feast was always prepared. Hermione, Harry and the Weasleys sat around the table and chatted happily about the upcoming Hogsmead visit.  
  
Fred, George and Harry were going to visit Zonko's and ask if they could sell some of their products there. Ginny and Hermione were getting worked up about how Mrs Weasley would react to this when there was the sound of many bells ringing throughout the hall.  
  
Dumbledore and the staff stood suddenly and drew their wands. Dumbledore took out the marauders map that he had not yet released to Harry and shouted to the staff. "They're in the castle! 20 of them! We must barricade the doors to the hall. Get the all of the students below seventh year away from the doors!"  
  
Harry went white. The other students were in no doubt as to what was occurring. The school was under attack by Voldemort! Harry and the other students were herded to the far wall of the hall. Dumbledore, Mc Gonagall and Snape, began chanting, wands pointed at the students. A large wall of crackeling golden energy came up to surround them.  
  
Harry felt an agonizing stab of pain in his scar and he fell to the floor gasping. Ginny, Ron and Hermione crouched next to him, terrified. The teachers and seventh year students formed a long line on front of the students. The teachers nearest the doors.  
  
The school waited with bated breath, Harry still clutching his scar in agony, when the doors burst open.  
Voldemort, flanked by 19 death eaters entered the hall. As Voldemort entered he roared  
  
"Hand over Potter and I will spare your pathetic little school for now. Fail to do so and you will all die!"  
  
Ginny grabbed tightly onto Harry and blocked him from Voldemort's view. Harry squirmed out of her grasp. Hundereds of people would die if he didn't hand himself over. He staggered to the front of the wall of energy and said  
  
"Take me. Please, don't hurt them."  
  
"No Harry!" Shouted Dumbledore and Lupin.  
  
"You heard him Dumbledore, lower the protection wall and I'll leave. The boy is willing to sacrifice himself for all of you, just like that mudblood mother of his."  
  
"No Riddle. You want a fight. You've got one!"  
  
"ah yes. The warewolf. Wormtail has told me so much about you."  
  
Voldemort and his deatheaters immediately started battling. Dumbledore and the teachers felled about six deatheaters easily, although both Flitwick and Trelawney were stunned. Unforgivable curses were not being used. Voldemort wanted prisoners. Harry tried to block the emotions from his mind as he watched helplessly as yet more people suffered because of him. Ginny held him closely.  
  
One of the seventh year slytherins moved to stand behind Dumbledore. He stunned him. With that many of the seventh years switched sides. The battle raged. After several casualties on both sides, the deatheaters began to work on destroying the magical wall.  
  
Amongst the shouts of curses and counter curses Voldemort shouted suddenly, "The aurors! They're here!"  
  
The Deatheaters vanished via portkeys all over the place until they were all gone. Harry and the others looked around. Three people were missing. Proffessors Trelawney, Lupin and Hagrid (who had been using his umberella making obvious that there was a wand inside).  
  
Many of the other teachers and students lay unconscious. Professor McGonnagall stood shakily, supported by Snape (who, to everyone's surprise had fought alongside the teachers)  
  
"You are all to stay here until the your families can come and collect you. Voldemort has obviously found a way to destroy the wards around the castle. Until we thing of better protection you are all to stay away, and hopefully safe with your families."  
  
Several aurors and mediwitches and wizards apparated in (illustrating the fact that the wards had been obliterated) and began healing the wounded. 


	10. Shrieking Shack

Disclaimer: mot mine not making any money.  
  
Thanks to those who reviewed! It makes me want to update more often. Lil lupin: Thanks for reviewing so many of my chapters! You're stories are really good. John: Thank you!!!!!!! Nachoman: thank you for the very long review. I appreciate the constructive criticism. I will bear it in mind if I ever revise this story. Contrary to popular belief being European does not make you an expert on war. Especially me.I am a pacifist. Katani Petitedra: What's a spork?  
  
Abandoned Chapter 10  
  
In what seemed like a very short period of time, the families of the other students began to apparate in, to collect their children (the aurors were taking the Muggle - borns back home). Hermoine left with Mad Eye Moody (giving every Griffindor in sight a huge hug first).  
  
About ten minutes later, Mr and Mrs Weasley collected her children. Professor Mc Gonnagal wouldn't let them take Harry, so after a very tearful goodbye they left too. Pretty soon, it was only Harry and the uninjured teachers left. Madame Pomfrey had gone with the injured people to St Mungo's.  
  
Harry sat himself down on the floor in the corner of the huge hall and stared off into space in shock. His hands were shaking and his scar still burnt fiercely on his forehead.  
  
Harry felt a hand touch his upper arm and he tensed reflexively, and looked up into the face (of the now awake) Albus Dumbledore. "Harry!"  
  
"yeah."  
  
"You were miles away, I called your name about ten times. Are you-"  
  
"No. I'm not. Lupin and Hagrid are gone because you wouldn't let me go."  
  
"Harry that wouldn't have got anyone anywhere. Who's to say he wouldn't have attacked anyway, even if I had turned you over?" The way Dumbledore looked at Harry made it clear that it wasn't going to be discussed further so Harry said,  
  
"What's going to happen to me now?"  
  
"You will stay with your Godfather at the shrieking shack in Hogsmead. He's on his way here now. Do you need anything for your head?"  
  
"I'll be fine." Dumbledore stood and walked back over to the teachers. Harry leaned back against the wall. 'Great' he thought 'yet another person that will probably die because of me'.  
  
As Harry sat there all of the things that Lupin and Hagrid had ever done for him was spinning around in his mind. Heck, even Trelawney, the angel of death herself didn't deserve what was probably happening to her right now.  
  
He tried so hard not to cry for those people but he eventually lost the battle. He pulled his knees to his chest and sobbed into them. Trying to hide his face from the teachers and aurors that were discussing the wards that had once surrounded Hogwarts in worried voices.  
  
He didn't think anyone had noticed him, except maybe Mc Gonnagal, she kept projecting pity towards him. Despite knowing this Harry didn't care, she already knew about how he felt.  
  
As Harry's racking sobs had turned to sad mournful tears he felt a presence next to him. Padfoot rested his head against Harry and whined quietly. Harry pulled himself together and dried his eyes. He then stood as calmly as possible and left with Sirius without a backward glance.  
  
The two of them walked quietly to the shrieking shack through the passage way beneath the Whomping willow, which Sirius threw rocks at until he hit the part to the tree to freeze it.  
  
Once inside the shack, Harry noticed that it had been renovated a bit since he was last in there. There was now newer furniture. Harry walked up to the bedroom in which he had first met Sirius and flopped onto the bed that was in the centre of the room. This was the room that he could have stopped all this from happening. He should have let Sirius and Remus kill Wormtail.  
  
For the first time that evening Sirius spoke. "Harry. It wasn't your fault."  
  
"Please stop saying that! It could have been prevented."  
  
"You're not psychic! Wait yeah, you kind of are, but even so. Do you think that I don't blame myself, for convincing Lily and James to switch to Peter? You have to live with it. Me and you will research more about Defense against the Dark arts while we're here. Make sure this doesn't happen again. Meanwhile there's a huge team of aurors out there working to free our friends. If anyone can get them out they can. We have to trust to hope, that we will see our friends again."  
  
"What if they're dead?"  
  
"Dumbldore knows a spell that can tell him the number of werewolves living in this country. That number has not yet changed, therefore, at least one of them is still alive."  
  
"Yeah. They'll be fine."  
  
The two of them went down to the kitchen and cooked a snack. Sirius and Harry curled up around the fireplace swapping stories. Harry's favourite were the ones about things the marauders had got up to. Apparantly, while looking for a passageway to hogsmead, the tunnel they were in collapsed. They were stuck in there for about a day, and were eventually discovered by a teacher who had heard voices in the wall arguing furiously about who would get eaten first if starvation set in.  
  
Neither if them felt like going to sleep because of what was happening and so they stayed up talking all night. At about 8 o'clock in the morning Harry fell asleep. Sirius covered Harry with his cloak and went to make some breakfast.  
  
Harry awoke to the sound of Sirius and Dumbledore talking in hushed whispers in the next room  
  
"So they're alive?"  
  
"Yes." Harry sighed in relief  
  
"What did he take them for?"  
  
"Apparently he is going to try to contact Harry and send him a message along the lines of swap yourself for them. Sirius, if Harry thinks that he could some how save them, he will. Almost every year since he came to this school he has in some way risked death to help others. You must stop him!"  
  
"How close are you to rescuing them?"  
  
"I have to say that I don't know. I have several leads but none of them are entirely reliable. We are checking every possibility thoroughly. Speaking of which, I must go now. I'll keep you informed."  
  
Harry heard the sound of Dumbledore disapperating and footsteps coming into the room, so he closed his eyes again and pretended to be asleep.  
Voila! It's late and I'm sleepy. Will update soon! Will read and review the stories of those that review this! 


	11. Sacrifice

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter. Never will.  
  
Thanks to those who reviewed! I really appreciate it!  
  
ABANDONED CHAPTER 11  
  
Sirius sat down next to Harry and got out the Daily Prophet. Harry, who was bored of pretending to be asleep, yawned and 'woke up'. When he opened his eyes he looked over at Sirius, who was looking at him sadly over the top of his newspaper.  
  
"What?" Said Harry, now beginning to feel like a science experiment that must be monitored at all times.  
  
"Just thinking. It doesn't matter. Anyway, Dumbledore came over when you were asleep."  
  
"Really?" Said Harry trying to look curious.  
  
"Yes. He says that the three taken by Voldemort are still alive."  
  
"Thank goodness. What does he want them for?"  
  
Sirius regarded Harry for a while before answering. "Nobody knows."  
  
"You mean you don't want to tell me."  
  
"What!?"  
  
"I can read emotions Sirius. You're lying." Sirius looked a bit startled at Harry's bluntness before he said  
  
"O.k. I do know, but Dumbledore doesn't want me to tell you. Satisfied?"  
  
"I guess so." Harry replied grumpily  
  
Harry relaxed back down and closed his eyes, hoping to drop off again, when "Did you know James's mother could do that reading emotions thing?"  
  
"So I hear"  
  
"It drove James mad, he couldn't get away with anything with her around. That's probably why the was such a rebel at school." Sirius smiled.  
  
"Do you think he would be annoyed that I'd inherited such an annoying power?"  
  
"No. He'd try to lead you astray with it by showing you how to use it to prank. Lily would then go mad and drag you off to one of those 'old master' types to teach you to use it wisely."  
  
Harry chuckled as he imagined it.  
  
"I'm not sure what I should do though." Sirius said.  
  
"You know you could actually ask me what I want."  
  
"Maybe I will.. after we come out of hiding."  
  
That afternoon Harry and Sirius began the DADA training and research. Sirius decided to start with physical training. "If you were ever captured, the first thing that would happen is being deprived of your wand." Sirius took Harry's wand and said "Ok. Now I'm going to take you to a 'cell'. Try and stop me."  
  
Sirius lunged at Harry and held his arms behind his back. He then shepherded Harry towards an adjoining room. "Come on Harry! Are you going to just let me do this? You still have your feet. USE THEM!"  
  
Harry kicked behind him and made contact with Sirius's knee.  
  
"OW." He released one of Harry's arms as he fought to regain his balance. "Try to get me to the floor so you can escape." Harry pushed Sirius (stupidly) and Sirius caught Harry's wrist easily.  
  
"Maybe we should start with some basic sweeps. Feeble pushing wouldn't cut it if you really were captured by deatheaters."  
  
By the evening both Harry and Sirius were bruised and exhausted, flopped into their places by the fire. Professor McGonagall came round with dinners and healing potions.  
  
"At least you're still alive, even if you can barely move." She commented as she sized them up.  
  
"Thanks Minerva" said Sirius gulping the potion down and indicating that Harry do the same.  
  
"How did the training go?"  
  
"I think it'll take a lot of work, but Harry shows potential"  
  
"Hey! I'm getting good at sweeping now. I knocked you over at least six times."  
  
"Yes. Thank you for the bruises. But there's a lot more to do now."  
  
That night Harry found it surprisingly easy to fall asleep. Despite the fact that his mind was still churning with guilt and what he had overheard that morning, he was physically exhausted.  
  
Harry opened his eyes. He was in a room, a large prison cell. His three teachers were chained to a wall, and looking right through him towards a large barred door. Harry felt a stab of pain in his forehead as Voldemort entered. The Prison cell filled with light and Harry was startled at how pale and bruised all of the teachers looked after only one day.  
  
Voldemort somehow knew (as he had on the knight bus) that Harry was watching.  
  
"Welcome Harry to the new home of your professors." The three teachers looked around confused for a moment. A look of understanding crossed Lupin's face. Trelawney and Hagrid continued to look perplexed.  
  
"These three people will be killed tomorrow at midnight if you haven't turned yourself over. Come by fireplace to Godric's Hollow. A deatheater spy will collect you and bring you to me and they will be spared. Unless of course you like people dying pointlessly to defend you. All you can ever bring is suffering and death. You know that don't you?"  
  
"Harry don't listen to him!" Lupin shouted  
  
"Crucio" Said Voldemort cruelly, pointing his wand at Lupin.  
Professor Lupin's screams became mingled with Harry's own as he snapped back to consciousness. Sirius was shaking him "Wake up!"  
  
Harry sat up so suddenly that Sirius jumped. Harry looked down at his hands, again covered with blood.  
  
"That sounded like a horrible nightmare Harry." Sirius said gently.  
  
"No Sirius, my hands." Sirius looked down at Harry's hands and a look of worry crossed his face.  
  
"You're bleeding!?"  
  
"No. Voldemort put the blood there. I had a vision."  
  
"Of what?"  
  
"Voldemort!" Harry said in annoyance  
  
"Yes I got that! I meant, what did he do, or say?"  
  
"He's going to kill them tomorrow if I."  
  
"He told you to sacrifice yourself."  
  
"Sirius. I don't have any choice. Please don't try to stop me! If I die he won't kill them."  
  
"Oh Merlin! Harry I am NOT letting you die. I swore an oath to your parents when I became your godfather that I would protect you. Remus is my best friend, I don't know what I'll do if he is killed to but there must be another way to save him!"  
  
"He said I was to go to a place by floo and a deatheater will collect me."  
  
"What place? Tell me Harry!"  
  
"I can't!"  
  
"Yes you can. If Voldemort kills you who's to say he won't kill our friends anyway?"  
  
"He wants me to go to Godric's Hollow."  
  
"Your parents old house."  
  
"I thought it was destroyed."  
  
"It was but the ministry rebuilt it for prosperity and turned into a museum of the dark arts."  
  
"I didn't know that."  
  
"I've got to speak to Albus. Come with me."  
  
Sirius left the room to get Harry's cloak and shoes. Harry sat on the edge of the bed and cleaned his hands on the sheet. Lupin's screams were still echoing in his head. Why did Sirius not understand? Voldemort was right about Harry, and even if Voldemort did kill Harry's friends after Harry or use them for some other purpose, but at least he would have tried to do something. Harry had stood by helplessly and watched both his parents and Cedric die. It couldn't happen again.  
  
As Harry fixed his cloak around his neck he followed Sirius mutely downstairs. Sirius opened the door to the passageway to Hogwarts.  
  
Harry took advantage of the lapse in Sirius's concentration and made a dash for the fireplace in the living room. Sirius jumped on Harry and pinned him to the ground. He made ropes wind around Harry's wrists behind his back and around his ankles giving Harry the ability to walk only.  
  
"I told you you had a lot to learn." Sirius growled.  
  
Harry was turned over and pulled to his feet. Sirius looked like he was either about to cry to murder Harry himself as he pushed him towards the door. Harry was dragged up to the castle and into Dumbledores office. Sirius sat him down and bound him tightly to the chair. He then got up and went to get Albus.  
  
Fawks perched on the arm of Harry's chair and cooed mournfully. Harry fought a futile battle to work himself free of the ropes.  
  
Dumbledore entered followed closely by Sirius. "Harry. Do you have any idea what transporting yourself to Voldemort would mean? He wouldn't just kill you. He would torture you first. I also know that he wouldn't release the three captives. Lupin is a warewolf, and therefore in possession of a great power that can be harnessed. He has never liked Hagrid. You do remember why Hagrid got expelled don't you? I don't know what he would do with Professor Trelawney but it wouldn't be pleasant."  
  
"Professor, he said that all I bring is suffering. What if he's right? How long will it be before he comes after Sirius or Ginny to get to me?"  
  
"That is not true. He is bringing the suffering. You are one of the victims. You can't do anything to stop him attacking others."  
  
"We have a plan." Said Sirius, crouching down beside Harry and gripping his hand.  
  
"A plan?"  
  
"You said there is a deatheater spy at Godric's Hollow. An auror will take polyjuice potion to look like you and the rest of us will lay in wait. We will then capture the spy and force information from him or her."  
  
"But what if it is a trap to capture Aurors?"  
  
"There will be lots of us"  
Sirius took the polyjuice potion and he, Dumbledore and the attack force departed. Harry was still bound to the chair in case he tried any heroics that would probably mean his death.  
  
As Harry sat there he heard noises outside of the room where four guards were stationed. Curses were being fired. Harry was right. It was a trap. Not to catch aurors, but to capture him! He began to doubt if there was anybody at Godric's hollow.  
  
The door flew off its hinges and across the room. Harry struggled fruitlessly. There were five deatheaters. One of them pointed their wand at Harry.  
  
"Stupify!"  
A/N Bit of a cliffie there (cackles evilly) 


	12. Darkness

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter.  
  
THANKS FOR REVIEWING!!!!!!!!  
ABANDONED CHAPTER 12  
  
The past few days had been a pain filled blur for Harry. Since he had been captured he had been in a tiny cell with no light. Deatheaters visited his cell every so often when they could think of a new way to hurt Harry. In between there were dementors posted outside his door. Along with their usual effect on Harry, they had the secondary effect of blocking Harry's power, as the field of fear they emitted was so intense Harry had to completely close off his mind to outside emotions.  
  
He lay there in the dark barely able to lift his head from the floor, much less consider a possible escape plan, when the cell door opened again. The deatheater walked up to Harry and turned him onto his back.  
  
"You're still alive." It was Lucius Malfoy "The dark lord will be so pleased, we weren't sure you'd survive yesterday's session with Lestrange."  
  
Lucius lifted him off the floor and carried him into the hallway. The light from several lit torches blinded Harry as he was carried roughly to a different cell. They arrived in the larger cell that Harry had seen in his vision with Voldemort. Professor Trelawney was gone, only Hagrid and Lupin remained. They gasped audibly as Harry was chained up in Trelawney's place.  
  
"Welcome to death row Harry! You will all be dead by the end of the week. Don't worry though. You're corpses will all be used for a higher purpose. Your deaths will mean our victory." With that, Lucius swept out of the room and slammed the door behind him.  
  
Harry felt himself loosing consciousness as a dementor passed the cell. At least they weren't standing outside now. "Harry?" came Lupin's voice to the left of Harry.  
  
"Professor?"  
  
"What have they done to you? You went to Godric's Hollow didn't you?"  
  
"no" Harry gasped out "Sirius stopped me. Taken from Dumbledore's office."  
  
"Did they take Sirius or Dumbledore?"  
  
"Don't know. They went to Godric's Hollow in my place."  
  
"If they'd got Dumbledore they'd have declared victory by now. Musta been a trap. They knew they'd go in ya place to capture a deatheater." Said Hagrid.  
  
"What have they done to you Harry?" said Lupin, squinting through the darkness to assess Harry's injuries.  
  
"used curses, potions, weapons, everything."  
  
"Are you badly hurt?"  
  
"can hardly move. Everything hurts."  
  
"Damn!"  
  
"What will they do with our bodies?"  
  
"I don't know. All I can think is that we all have special abilities. Maybe Voldemort will try and extract them from us or something. I mean, if he could take Hagrid's strength, the long life and extra powerful senses of the wolf part of me and the empathy from you, he would be almost unbeatable." Lupin said grimly. "Everyone thinks you have extra powers you haven't yet discovered Harry so who knows what else he'll get too"  
  
"What happened to Trelawney?"  
  
"She's been taken somewhere, I guess they were making room for you in here."  
  
"Malfoy thought I was dead already"  
  
"Then I suppose you have just extended our lives by a few days"  
  
Harry tried to shift himself slightly to take the pressure off his back, which was cut and bruised, the slight shift sent waves of agony along his broken bones. He cried out involuntarily.  
  
"Harry?!" said Lupin and Hagrid worriedly  
  
"I'm ok."  
  
"No ya not." Said Hagrid  
  
"It's ok to admit weakness Harry." Said Lupin "I mean, I feel terrible, what with the Cruciatus curse, the multiple bruises and the beginnings of starvation. And they have been easy on us when compared to you."  
  
"I can't take much more. It even hurts to breathe. Why is he doing this to me? That stupid prophecy probably isn't even true! I just want to feel safe. Like other kids my age! Where my worst worry is that I might not get what I want for Christmas. I want it to stop!"  
  
Silence followed Harry's speech. Neither Remus nor Hagrid really knew what to say.  
  
It wasn't long before Harry fell into a fitful sleep.  
  
The next few days were spent in much the same way. Harry sleeping or laying in a daze while the others tried to bring some comfort, or telling stories to keep them all from going insane.  
  
Hardly anybody came into their cell, except the house elves that were to give them small amounts of food. Harry couldn't help but notice they looked more beaten down than Dobby had and that their eyes always filled with tears when they saw how weak the 'saviour' of the wizarding world was.  
The next time they saw Malfoy, several others accompanied him. Harry immediately recognised one of them as Wormtail. Lupin started yelling at him  
  
"You (insert swear words here)! How could you do this to James's son? WE were friends, we protected you from the Slytherin scum like-" Wormtail gagged Lupin and the deatheaters dragged the prisoners to a chamber that looked like a shrine to Voldemort. The dark mark was carved into every wall.  
  
The three were locked in a large cage. There were no chains. Lupin pulled off the gag and ran over to Harry to get a proper look at his injuries. He and Hagrid knelt next to him.  
  
"I have never seen injuries like these on a live person before."  
  
Harry saw the two of them look at each other, and then more closely at Harry, apparently trying to decide a way to ease his suffering slightly. They began to look defeated and sat back on their heels.  
  
Lupin lifted Harry off the ground slightly and pulled him into a gentle hug. Harry tried (ignoring his broken left arm) to hug back. He felt Lupin's body shake as he silently cried, seemingly hoping Harry wouldn't be able to tell. Harry saw Hagrid sitting behind Lupin, a mournful expression of his face.  
  
A sharp pain shot through Harry's scar.  
  
"Voldemort" he whispered  
  
"he's comin'?" said Hagrid, startled  
  
"Yeah"  
  
A/N Bit of an angsty chapter- Sorry it's so short! 


	13. Voldemort!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine! I am getting so bored of writing that now.  
Thank you all who reviewed!!!!!!!!!  
  
Ghostcat - wow, you reviewed all the chapters.Thanks!  
  
john - will try to do longer chapters in future.  
  
Shakura Blossom - Nice to have you back!  
  
Christina Lupin01442 - thank you  
  
Kateydidnt - it is one of the many mysteries of the universe  
  
Lil Lupin- Yeah, Poor Harry!  
  
Katani Petitdra - VERY EVIL. Do you need a license to own an 'Evil Spork Of Doom?' (I was thinking of searching for one on E Bay to see what comes up!)  
  
ABANDONED CHAPTER 13  
  
Remus, who was still holding Harry, looked around anxiously "How far away is he?"  
  
"He's close."  
  
The door swung open. Three more Deatheaters entered. Two were carrying what a workbench type table, and one was using his wand to levitate a simmering cauldron into the room. There was a magical fire floating along under it.  
  
The deatheaters stood around the cauldron and began chanting in a quiet monotone as they added more ingredients.  
  
The three prisoners watched them warily. "What are they doin'?" Hagrid asked "Who knows" Remus replied.  
  
The huge doors swung open again. Voldemort entered. Harry tightened his grip on Remus's robes. Remus peeled the hand off and held it.  
  
Voldemort approached his servants and looked into the cauldron. "It is complete?"  
  
"Yes master." Replied Malfoy "which power would you like first?"  
  
Voldemort turned and surveyed the prisoners. His evil gaze lingered on Harry.  
  
"Have the dementors left the fortress yet?"  
  
"They have." Came Wormatails reply.  
  
"Good. I would like to gain control of Potter's power before I speak to them. How is he to die?"  
  
"If a fatal curse or potion is used the body takes longer to prepare. I would recommend a non-magical death if you want the power immediately"  
  
Wormtail and another deatheater opened the cage door and wrenched it open. One of them pointed their wands at Hagrid and cast the 'impedimenta' charm so that he couldn't defend Harry.  
  
Wormtail and another deatheater (Crabbe of Goyle - hard to tell which) pulled Harry from Lupin's protective grasp. Lupin fought and Wormtail punched him hard with the hand that Voldemort had given him, his expression unreadable.  
  
Harry felt himself being dragged across the floor before being deposited at Voldemort's feet. Voldemort knelt down, a cruel smile twisting his face. Voldemort brought up one of his long-fingered hands and clamped it around Harry's jaw. He pulled Harry's face in the direction of his own and leaned forward so that the two faces were mere inches apart.  
  
The pain in Harry's scar broke his resolve and he screamed in agony. The contact with Voldemort had a secondary effect; all of Voldemort's emotions went crashing into Harry's mind. The twisted hatred and arrogance was unimaginably powerful.  
  
"So Harry Potter, this is how it ends. You are weak and broken. Pathetic."  
  
Harry could feel the emotions of everyone else in the fortress. The other prisoners were terrified. Even Voldemort's followers were afraid of their master.  
  
"And yet I remain strong and powerful. Malfoy! Give me your dagger!"  
  
He held the dagger to Harry's throat. As Harry felt the cold metal, he knew, with a small measure of relief that this was it. He heard Hagrid and Lupin shouting in the background. They would be next.  
  
As Voldemort slowly pressed down on the dagger he appeared to be savouring the growing trickle of blood that the dagger created as the skin on Harry's neck was broken. Harry wanted more than anything else at that moment for Voldemort to understand what it was like to suffer. He wanted it with a mad, intense, vengeful desire.  
  
Voldemort suddenly looked at Harry as though shocked.  
  
"Stop it!"  
  
Voldemort had to know, to understand, for Lupin, Hagrid, Cedric, his parents and all of his victims.  
  
"STOP!" Voldemort shouted. He was shaking hard; one hand clutching his head, the other still holding the dagger against Harry's neck. The deatheaters were running towards the door, wands drawn.  
  
There was a loud crashing sound. Voldemort turned towards it furiously. His red eyes widened, the slit like pupils contracting. He quickly turned back to face Harry and in a swift sharp motion bought the dagger down, hard. Harry couldn't breathe. He tried desperately to fill his lungs but found that he couldn't.  
When Harry awoke again he was in a warm bed. There were the sounds of quiet conversation around him. He opened his eyes. He could see several blurry figures standing near his bed. They were talking to a woman.  
  
"So he'll wake soon?" this voice was male, it sounded worried  
  
"I should think so. He still has a lot of recovering to do however."  
  
Harry tried to reach out to a table beside his bed to retrieve his glasses. He could only lift his arm a couple of inches off the bed. He moaned quietly. The figures spun around. The woman (Madame Pomfrey?) walked up to the bedside and passed her wand over him. Seemingly satisfied she leant over and slid Harry's glasses onto his face.  
  
Harry recognised the figures as Madame Pomfrey, Sirius, Lupin, Mrs Weasley, Ron, Hermione and Ginny.  
  
"Good morning Mr Potter. How are you feeling?" Madame Pomfrey asked.  
  
Harry did a quick self- assessment. "Dunno. Tired I guess."  
  
"I've given you some powerful pain killers, so that's to be expected."  
  
"How long have I been here?"  
  
"you've been here for about a week now. The injuries were so severe I wanted to get a good head start in healing you before I allowed you to wake."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Madame Pomfrey bustled off and the others approached the bedside. They all sat down, looking concerned but also very relieved.  
  
Remus was looking a lot better than he had last time Harry had seen him, although there were still some faint bruises littering his face. He held Harry's hand, a just as he had in the cage. Sirius held the other.  
  
"I see you in here far too often Harry." Sirius complained gently  
  
"I have a murderer after me, it's not like I deliberately go off and get myself hurt."  
  
"I know."  
  
"What happened? How did I get here? The last thing I remember." Harry tailed off  
  
"When Dumbledore, the aurors and I got to Godric's Hollow I walked aimlessly around the museum as you for about twenty minutes waiting for the death eater to reveal themselves. Nobody did. I suspected that they had detected the invisible aurors and made a quick get away.  
  
We all decided after half an hour to give up and return here. The aurors that had been stationed outside to protect you were all unconscious. One was dead."  
  
Harry looked down at this, but Sirius carried on anyway.  
  
"In the office the chair that you had been in was empty, the ropes cut." Sirius's eyes showed a haunted expression as he remembered it. "We had left you here for you're safety, and you were - captured. We worked on finding your location for days, until rumours were spread that something was wrong at Azkaban, that the dementors were leaving."  
  
We all immediately travelled there. It was horrific being back there. We hacked our way through the deatheaters, retrieving prisoners. I was suspicious about how few they really were. Then I heard a scream."  
  
Sirius paused, face even paler  
  
"it was you. We stormed the room they were holding you in. Apparently there was a huge battle. I saw you crumpled on the floor. You were dying."  
  
Sirius gulped "So I bought you straight back here."  
  
"Voldemort?" Harry asked, dreading the answer  
  
"He escaped with a couple of deatheaters. Our main priority was freeing prisoners. Still we have made an enormous dent in Voldemort's army. We may yet win."  
  
Harry drifted back to sleep after hearing that Hagrid and Trelawney were still alive, exhaustion taking him over.  
  
A/N I'll update soon! 


	14. Recovery

Plan for abandoned 14  
Abandoned 14  
  
Harry's eyes fluttered open. Ginny was sitting next to his bed reading Witch Weekly. She was wearing pale blue robes that matched her eyes. Harry lay sleepily watching her as she read.  
  
When Ginny went to turn a page she looked at him and saw (with a look of surprise) that he was awake again. "Harry!"  
  
"Hi Gin."  
  
"How are you feeling?" She asked nervously  
  
"I'm Ok" he responded. Truth be told that although he was feeling a bit better, he ached all over and wasn't sure that he would actually be able to sit unaided, but he wasn't going to tell her that. She looked worried enough as it was.  
  
"Good. You've been unconscious for ages. We didn't know if you would ever- but you have and that's good so-" She rambled along these lines for a while before tailing off.  
  
"You've been worried."  
  
"Yes!"  
  
Ginny flung her arms around Harry and kissed him gently. He kissed back.  
  
"I see somebody's feeling better."  
  
Ginny stood up quickly and reddened. Sirius was standing there looking thrilled that Harry was awake again. He walked over to Harry's bedside and took another of the chairs. Harry couldn't help but notice there were an awful lot of them (probably swiped from a nearby classroom).  
  
Sirius followed Harry's gaze and said "You've made a lot of people who care about you very anxious."  
  
Harry looked at the chairs again. Inside he smiled. He never thought that this many people would care enough to keep a vigil by his bed. It must have driven Madame Pomfrey round the bend. Suddenly he was struck by a horrible thought.  
  
"Sirius, transform! What if someone sees you?!"  
  
"It's OK. I'm free. Wormtail is now under the great care of the ministry of magic." He smiled happily at the look on Harry's face.  
  
"You mean, you're not a wanted man anymore?"  
  
"yep!"  
  
Harry, Sirius and Ginny chatted happily about nothing in particular until Madame Pomfrey came and made them leave Harry to get some more sleep. Harry didn't want Sirius to leave but Madame Pomfrey ordered him out, as he was a 'bad influence'.  
  
Harry had only been asleep for a short while when the nightmares began. as he tossed fitfully in his bed visions of his torture flashed before his eyes  
//Lestrange was stirring a goblet full of a strange blue potion, standing menacingly in front of Harry. They had been together for well over two hours now. Lestrange had delighted in pouring an array of potions down Harry's throat and standing back to see the very painful effects. "This one is very special Harry. The Dark Lord invented it himself. Think of it as a liquid form of the Cruciatus curse."  
  
He bent down next to Harry and restrained him so that he was unable to escape. He then forced Harry's mouth open and poured the burning mixture into it. He then forced Harry to swallow and again stood back.  
  
Harry began to scream. The screams became louder and louder//  
  
Harry was awoken by the intensity of his screams. His eyes snapped open, wide and afraid. He looked around. Hogwarts. Hospital wing. Safe.  
  
Footsteps were pounding in his direction. Madame Pomfrey was at his side within seconds. Harry was shaking like a leaf. She made comforting sounds as she re-covered him with blanket and reached for a calming potion.  
  
She lifted Harry with one arm into a slight sitting position and guided the goblet slowly towards him with the free hand. Harry stared at it as though transfixed. With a gasp of horror he pushed it out of her hands.  
  
Pale blue stained the blanket as she stood back "It was a calming potion Potter, to help you relax."  
  
"I don't need it."  
  
The hospital wing doors crashed open and Lupin and Hagrid brandishing their wands (or in Hagrid's case, umberella).  
  
"What's wrong? There were screams."  
  
"It was Harry, he had a nightmare." Madame Pomfrey said calmly "I tried to give him a calming potion but-"  
  
Lupin eyed the pale, trembling boy on the bed and approached slowly. He muttered quietly to Pomfrey "get the potion. I'll see that he takes it."  
  
She bustled off and the two men approached him.  
  
They sat down on harry's left hand side "Hi harry." They said  
  
"Harry, you're shaking." Harry looked at them, a neutral expression on his face. "Madame Pomfrey wants you to drink a potion to help you to relax. What do you think?." Madame Pomfrey handed Remus the re-filled goblet. Harry looked at it fearfully "Harry, neither me or Hagrid would ever do anything to hurt you. If you don't want to take, it that's OK. But please, trust me."  
  
Harry looked into Remus's eyes, and into his emotions. He sensed deceit in neither. "I'll take it." He whispered.  
  
Remus lifted him into a sitting position and handed Harry the goblet. He then helped Harry to drink the potion. Harry immediately felt himself relax immediately as he was flooded with warmth.  
  
Remus laid Harry back down and the three of them regarded each other in silence for a while.  
  
"How long am I going to be here?" Harry asked  
  
"That all depends on how quickly you recover."  
  
"I suppose."  
  
"Yeh look a lot better than yeh did when yeh came in." Hagrid said fondly.  
  
"So do you two." Harry smiled slightly. They both looked almost uninjured.  
  
"That was some nightmare you were having Harry." Remus said  
  
"we thought there was an attack.." Hagrid added.  
  
"Sorry"  
  
"Harry, it's OK. We saw what you went through. More than them anyway." Remus gestured vaguely over his shoulder.  
  
"I do have one question though."  
  
"What?"  
  
"When Voldemort held that knife to your throat. What exactly did he want you to 'stop'."  
  
"I am not totally sure. There was so much fear in that place. I only wanted him to understand what he was doing to people. More than anything."  
  
Maybe you acted like a mirror" Remus said thoughtfully. At Harry's blank expression he added "all the fear you were receiving from everyone in that building, maybe you were able to reflect it into him."  
  
"no wonder he was shakin' and everythin'" Hagrid exclaimed.  
  
The memory of what Voldemort had done to him next overwhelmed Harry. He ran his fingers over the new scar that ran across his throat, and turned away from his two visitors.  
  
"Harry?" Hagrid said  
  
"Can we talk about something else please."  
  
"of course. I'm sorry." Remus said.  
  
Obviously thinking quickly he said "Do you know where you and Sirius will stay until school starts up again in September?"  
  
Harry looked at Remus in confusion.  
  
"nobody's told you?"  
  
"Told me what?"  
  
"The new wards around the castle are not complete yet. Everyone feels that it is not safe for the students to be here until next year."  
  
"What about lessons and exams?"  
  
"Each year group will be assigned into separate groups depending on where they live. Teachers and others, like parents will take the classes and the students will travel each day to the place where their lessons or exams will be."  
  
"Sounds complicated."  
  
"I agree, but randomly allocating people to classes and different places, means that it will be more difficult to locate the people he wants to get than if you all stayed here in this badly protected castle."  
  
"Oh." Harry was not sure how well this was going to work but trusted that it was probably safer.  
  
"Why didn't Sirius say anything?"  
  
"Dunno. I think he's coming to see you this evening anyway. He'll probably tell you then."  
  
Harry smiled. Although he only lived with Sirius for two days before.. the capture..it was great. At the Weasleys they treated him as they did the rest of the family, but he couldn't shake the feeling of being a guest. When it had been just him and Sirius it had felt, right, somehow.  
  
Remus and Hagrid looked thrilled to have got a 'real' smile out of Harry, gave him a quick hug and left.  
  
Madame Pomfrey approached slightly cautiously, as though afraid that Harry would get scared again. "Feeling calmer now Mr Potter?"  
  
"Yeah. Sorry about-"  
  
"It's quite understandable."  
  
"It's just - the nightmare was about a potion I was given." Harry said quietly, feeling the need to explain himself.  
  
Madame Pomfrey nodded kindly and swapped the now blue - potion stained blanket for a clean one. "Miss Granger left you some books to read." She placed a tottering pile of books onto Harry's bedside table, from which Harry selected one about the most haunted houses around the world.  
  
That evening Sirius visited Harry. "Got that sleep that Pomfrey was so desperate for you to get?"  
  
"A bit."  
  
"Good. Anyway, there's something I need to talk to you about."  
  
"Remus told me already about school being closed."  
  
"Oh. Right." Sirius looked a little bit worried that Harry would be angry at his not mentioning it before. When Harry gave him an encouraging nod, he continued "This afternoon I went to the ministry. They officially cleared my name. That meant that I could do something I should've done 14 years ago."  
  
"What?"  
  
Sirius placed a sheet of parchment into Harry's hands. It was a form certifying Sirius Black as the legal guardian of one Harry James Potter. "Only if it 's ok with you. We can rip it up, or feed it to that last screwt, or-"  
  
"Is this real?" Harry said stunned.  
  
"Of course it is" Sirius chuckled  
  
"so we're like, um you know."  
  
"a family." Sirius finished  
  
Harry tried desparately to hold back tears as he said "it's ok with me."  
  
Sirius seemed to be having the same difficulty as Harry as he took the parchment back and put it in an official looking folder.  
  
"The Ministry are giving me my house back." He said sniffing "When you're well enough we'll move in."  
  
Sirius stayed with Harry discussing how the house could be decorated until they both fell asleep in the dimmed lights of the hospital wing.  
A/N Next chapter up soon! 


	15. Home

Disclaimer: don't own HP. Not making even the teeniest bit of money so don't sue!  
  
Thank you to  
  
Katani Petitdra  
  
Selina  
  
Epholge  
  
john  
  
Kazza  
  
Lil Lupin (am really enjoying your stories. Please update soon)  
  
Hope you enjoy this chapter.  
  
ABANDONED CHAPTER 15  
  
Over the next week Harry got stronger and stronger. He was entertained with regular visits, particularly from the Weasleys and Remus.  
  
Sirius seemed to have divided his time into doing three things; decorating the house (using Harry's suggestions), sleeping and sitting with Harry in the hospital wing.  
  
When Madame Pomfrey decided that Harry was well enough to try walking around a bit, a mini party was thrown by all of Harry's regular visitors. Some members of the teaching staff looked inside the ward curious about all of the noise and ended up staying too (much more fun than doing marking).  
  
One morning, exactly three weeks after being bought in by Sirius (including the time that Harry was unconscious), Harry was sitting in a chair beside his bed, trying to teach Dobby how to play chess. This was very difficult as Dobby kept saying that he 'must' make the bed, clean the floor etc. and not actually paying attention to Harry's instructions.  
  
"Dobby, you could have taken my knight then!"  
  
"Dobby would not dream of harming one of Harry Potter's chess pieces!"  
  
Suddenly the whole of Dobby's chess team (or whatever all of the pieces are called), turned round to face Dobby and declared a strike on the grounds that Dobby had no idea what he was doing and that there was no way they were going to be trounced in such an unfair battle. A couple of the pawns defected to Harry's side and tried to blend in with his team (all looking nervous and shifting uneasily).  
  
As Harry sighed dramatically, the Hospital wing doors opened and Sirius entered with Madame Pomfrey, a huge grin on his face.  
  
Madame Pomfrey went over and lit a fire in the fireplace and Sirius walked up to Harry  
  
"Pomfrey says we can go."  
  
"Really?" Harry said in surprise  
  
"Yeah. I've just spent the last three hours in her office being given instructions, what to do if Harry has a nightmare, what to do if Harry looks a bit peaky, what to do if Harry sneezes. It's like she doesn't trust me or something!" Sirius looked outraged.  
  
"Sirius, you forget that I knew you as a student at this school. You let almost every pet you ever owned die, or let one of your friends change it's colour, or give it an extra limb!" Madame Pomfrey said looking stern  
  
"That wasn't me that was James!"  
  
"Most of your pets were shared!"  
  
"Harry isn't a pet!"  
  
"Exactly, I dread to think-" Madame Pomfrey, looked horrified as she imagined what could happen under Sirius' care.  
  
"Relax. I'll follow all of the instructions you gave me to the letter." Sirius looked at her hopefully with schoolboy enthusiasm.  
  
"I'll be by to see you in a couple of days." She said with a smile.  
  
Dobby got up and started cleaning up before Harry could stop him. Sirius started shoving Harry's belongings into a suitcase (the chess pieces were singing a cheerful marching tune in celebration of Dobby leaving and yelled out in anger as they were tossed unceremoniously into the case by Sirius).  
  
Once they were packed up they walked over the fireplace.  
  
"Ready to go home?" Sirius said brightly  
  
"Yeah. Home." Harry said with a smile  
  
"Put the floo powder into the fire and say 'Silvermoon Manor'"  
  
"Silvermoon?"  
  
"It's the name it came with. I would've changed it but it annoyed Remus, so I kept it as it was."  
  
"Oh." Harry, said amused.  
  
Harry threw the floo powder into the fireplace and yelled 'Silvermoon manor!"  
  
The next thing he knew, he was stumbling out of a fireplace in a large cosy room, not unlike the Griffindor common room in it's appearance. Moments later Sirius appeared behind him.  
  
"Welcome." Sirius said. "Let me show you around."  
  
Sirius took Harry around the large house, introducing the house elves when they were in the kitchen "don't bother trying to teach them chess. I tried once, drove me insane."  
  
Harry laughed as they walked slowly up the sweeping staircase. The room at the top of the stairs had a several bizarre signs on the door, such as one saying 'beware of the leopard' and another saying 'mind your head'.  
  
"Huh?" said Harry looking at it.  
  
"That's my room. I picked the signs up when us marauders went on holiday in the muggle world."  
  
The room was decorated in garish colours, items of clothing folded up in a huge pile on the end of his bed.  
  
"I see the house elves have been in" Sirius commented "you can't open the door all the way usually".  
  
"Come on, you look a bit tired, let's go see your room"  
  
At the end of the hall, there was a door with Harry's name engraved into it. With a trembling hand, Harry opened the door. The room was painted a pale blue, with a darker blue carpet. The room was huge, he had a large bed, wardrobe, desk, a couple of comfy looking armchairs, a wizarding radio, you name it. Most of Harry's things were already put out into his room.  
  
"wow."  
  
"Hoped you'd like it. Look, make yourself at home and maybe have a rest. I'll get you at dinner time."  
  
"Sirius, can I have Hedwig in here?"  
  
"Sure - wait this isn't about what Pomfrey said is it?" he said suspiciously.  
  
"might be." Harry replied apprehensively  
  
"It was a long time ago."  
  
"Dare I ask who changed your pet's colour, and what's this about extra limbs?"  
  
"James and I pulled one prank too many on Lily. She went to Snape and got him to make a potion for her to slip our pet cat. Snape of course was only too willing to upset us so he did. He turned our cat pink! Pink! I mean honestly, why not a scary shade of red?"  
  
"What about the extra limb?"  
  
"We were never really sure how that happened. James blamed Peter, and I blamed Snape of course. Anyhow, we could never prove it."  
  
Sirius smiled wistfully and left the room, leaving Harry staring mystified at the door, picturing that poor pink cat with five legs. Hopefully Pomfrey had sorted it out.  
  
By the time Sirius came back up to get Harry, he had rearranged some of the things to give it a more personal touch and stuck some photos on the wall, and was curled up in an armchair listening to the quidditch commentary on the radio, with his eyes closed so that he could picture it.  
  
"If you press the button on the side of the wireless you will be able to see the match properly." Sirius said as he entered  
  
Harry jumped and snapped his eyes open.  
  
"sorry. Should have knocked." Sirius said apologetically  
  
"That's ok. What button was it? I've never had a wizarding wireless before."  
  
Sirius pointed it out to Harry and pressed it. Immediately a 3D image appeared in the middle of the room of the quidditch match.  
  
Sirius sat in another armchair and summoned an elf to bring the meal upstairs. They watched it commenting occasionally on the moves that the players made whilst munching their dinners.  
  
"When will I start taking classes again?"  
  
"On Monday if you like. As we need to protect you a bit more closely than the others your classes will be here or at the Burrow. Some of your friends will be accompanying you here for classes though. Mostly Griffindors or other people Dumbledore can trust. They won't be told where this house is anyway. They'll come be floo or portkey."  
  
"Right."  
  
Harry settled quickly into his new home with Sirius. By the time the weekend before school came around Harry felt like he'd lived there for years, not just a few days. The cupboard under the stairs was like a distant, unimaginable memory.  
  
So far as Harry's capture was concerned, he was settling for not thinking about it. Sirius was not keen to push Harry on it as Lupin's side of the story outlined a grim picture. Harry would talk when he was ready. In the mean time, Sirius made sure he had a calming potion on standby whenever Harry was asleep, as he still had horrific nightmares.  
  
A/N The chapter was a bit shorter again. It just felt like a good place to stop. I'll try to update soon!! 


	16. Divination

Disclaimer: still don't own Harry potter and am not making any money  
  
THANK YOU FOR REVIEWS (didn't have time to write the names down while in internet café, sorry)  
  
Abandoned chapter 16  
When Monday morning came around, Harry got dressed as quickly as possible and almost skipped down to the dining room where Sirius was constructing a make shift classroom. "Wow. With that attitude people will confuse you with Hermione!" Sirius exclaimed as Harry entered the room.  
  
I took a moment for Harry to work out what Sirius meant. He then stopped dead in his tracks and blushed furiously.  
  
"Hey it's ok. I was only teasing."  
  
Harry smiled mischievously and sat down in the chair that Sirius was about to move.  
  
"So when is professor Lupin coming?"  
  
"Any minute now I reckon." Sirius said. He pointed his wand at the chair that Harry was sat in and levitated it. Harry jumped off with a cry of alarm as Sirius (and one of the house elves who was cleaning the windows) chuckled.  
  
Harry glared at them causing the house elf to scuttle away from Harry anxiously.  
  
Sirius turned to the elf "Star, I have told you a hundred times, it's perfectly fine to have a sense of humour. If you want to laugh at us go ahead." The house elf smiled nervously before continuing to clean the windows.  
  
An alarm rang out through the house, indicating that somebody was about to arrive by floo powder. Sirius spun around and pointed his wand at the fireplace (just in case). Remus fell face first into the room. Sirius dropped his wand and caught his friend.  
  
"Thanks Padfoot. Hi Harry." Remus gave Harry a little wave as he righted himself.  
  
"Hello."  
  
"Where is everyone?" Remus asked  
  
"They are due to begin arriving in about three minutes." Sirius replied  
  
"How many in the class?"  
  
"Uh, eight I think. All of the Griffindor fifth years whose parents gave permission."  
  
Where have they been learning on the two days that they are now going to spend here each week?" Harry asked  
  
"The Burrow." Remus said  
  
"Oh." Harry said as Star came bustling into the room with a large slice of toast for Harry, "I'm not Hungry. Thanks anyway."  
  
"Master Black is saying that Harry Potter must have at least three meals a day." Then as though the topic was closed, she strode purposefully from the room.  
  
"At least three?!" Harry exclaimed at Sirius  
  
"Padfoot has always had a huge appetite. He seemed to eat as much as the rest of us marauders combined. He can't understand why not everyone eats like him."  
  
"Look, I just think the boy needs some meat on his bones. James was far too skinny as well."  
  
Thanks for the advice, Aunt Marge." Harry muttered  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nevermind." Harry said in exasperation as Remus snorted.  
  
"Sirius, leave the boy alone. Besides, look in the mirror, you're like a rake."  
  
"I have a fast metabolism!" just then the alarm rang out again, signalling the arrival of the first student.  
  
Ron stepped into the living room, greeted the two adults and bounded up to Harry.  
  
"Hi mate! How are you?"  
  
"fine. You?" Harry replied quickly  
  
"yeah. I'm really glad we can finally come here. mum was having a nervous breakdown about having six extra teenagers in the house three days a week!"  
  
"I can imagine." Harry knew only too well how cramped the Weasley house could get.  
  
Ron started looking around the room in wonder. "So, this is your new house?!"  
  
"yeah. I'll give you a tour later if you like."  
  
Just then, out of the corned of his eye he saw something large launching itself at him.  
  
Hermoine threw her arms around the shocked Harry, and began a tirade about how desperate she had been to see him for herself since he had moved.  
  
"Ahem." Ron coughed pointedly.  
  
Hermione released Harry and faced Ron.  
  
"Hermione, you're my girlfriend. I don't appreciate you throwing yourself at other men!"  
  
"What?" Harry asked, having recovered from the shock of being smothered by Hermione  
  
"We are going out." Hermione announced proudly  
  
"Finally!" Harry exclaimed  
  
Ron and Hermione smiled sheepishly  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"We're not allowed to send you owls in case they're followed."  
  
"Right." Harry said looking at Sirius who had neglected to mention this.  
  
When everyone had finally arrived Remus stood at the 'front' of the room  
  
"Welcome to Silvermoon Manor." He glared at Sirius who promptly left the room, traces of amusement on his face.  
  
The lesson was again about the various demons that were prone to take advantage of war, by making people think that it's victims had been killed as a result of the battle. Mostly, it was a 'copy out of books' type of lesson.  
  
By the lunchtime Harry's wrist was aching from writing. Hermione left immediately after the class to go to another house for arithmancy, as the others were due to have divination. Lavender and Pervati began rearranging the furniture to appear more mystical and closed the curtains. Neville, Dean and Seamus immediately began to tuck into enormous plates of sandwiches bought in by the houselves.  
  
Harry and Ron grabbed a few themselves and sloped off upstairs with them. Harry showed Ron his room and they sat listening to the wireless. Some time later the other boys turned up to see the room too.  
  
"My Gran would never let me have one of those in my room" Neville complained gesturing to the radio "I think she thinks I'll blow it up or something."  
  
"Harry, you should get a chudley cannons poster!" Ron said suddenly. "I'll buy you one for your birthday!"  
  
"Cool" Harry said trying to think of a quidditch team that would actually match the walls.  
  
"Nah. Get a football poster Harry." Dean interjected. "Chelsea wear blue. It would look really cool in here."  
  
The door opened and Sirius stuck his head into the room "Trelawney's here. You'd better go downstairs."  
  
When the boys entered the dining (class) room they flopped down in their seats and Professor Trelawney began to talk in her usual misty voice. "Today, we will be doing work with tarot cards. Although these are often used in muggle carnivals and the like, if you have a true gift for divination they ace as an excellent tool. Open your textbooks to page 634 which has a set of interpretations for the cards which I myself find to be the most accurate."  
  
Ron and Harry, Dean, Neville and Seamus who were sitting in a row along one side of the dining room table, appeared quite comical as their eyebrows rose simultaneously. Over half of the interpretations on this page resulted in a death or horrible injury of some description. No wonder professor Trelawney preferred this interpretation. Harry would have bet a limb that these were mot the usual tarot interpretations.  
  
The class then divided up into small groups. Harry and Ron were partners. By halfway through the class Harry and Ron had predicted each other's deaths about twenty times. Professor Trelawney sat down with them and upon seeing their cards suggested gently that they begin constructing their wills.  
  
With that she stood up and sniffed as though holding back tears. On her way past she patted Harry on the shoulder supportively. Ron began to shake hard with silent laughter, and soon tears of mirth were escaping his eyes.  
  
However, Harry, who had also been trying hard not to laugh as the professor made her grim suggestion, froze as Trelawney touched his shoulder. A nagging feeling that had been tugging at the edges of his consciousness since divination had begun shaped itself into a coherent thought.  
  
He couldn't sense anything from her. It was like she was an inanimate object, with no more soul than the chair he was sitting on.  
  
Ron, upon noticing the look on Harry's face sobered immediately. "What's up?"  
  
"Huh?" Harry said as he was pulled from has reverie "oh uh, nothing. I'll tell you later." He added catching the look of disbelief he was given by Ron on the mention of 'nothing'.  
  
When the class did at last draw to a close, everyone queued up at the fireplace to return home. Ron was staying at the manor for dinner with Harry, Sirius and Remus.  
  
Once everyone had gone, Ron and Harry went into the kitchen to join the two marauders around the table. The houselves rushed forwards and places a dish of biscuits on the table and cups of tea.  
  
"Well?" Ron asked impatiently "What was the 'nothing' that got you so spooked?"  
  
"What?" Sirius and Remus said together  
  
"In divination, after declaring that Ron and I should write our wills due to the very unpleasant deaths predicted in the lesson, Trelawney touched my shoulder."  
  
"So? She likes predicting death. It's what she does. Usually to people who don't like divination" Sirius said  
  
"Yeah, well, when she touched my shoulder I suddenly realised something really strange about her."  
  
"Suddenly?" Ron asked incredulously "You mean you didn't think she was really strange within 10 seconds of meeting her?"  
  
"Of course I did, but that's not what I mean. I couldn't sense any emotion in her. It's like she was, you know, just a thing. Like a table. I can see her but I don't feel anything."  
  
"Hmmm.." Lupin said thoughtfully. Sirius and Ron looked at each other, also in thought.  
  
"Could be she's just immune." Sirius suggested.  
  
"No, I've felt things from her before."  
  
"Maybe Voldemort did something to her." Lupin suggested "I did wonder why he didn't just kill her."  
  
"I thought you tried not to feel other people's emotions." Ron said looking a bit self-conscious.  
  
"I do. But I always have some sense of peoples or animals that are near me, even if I am trying not to think about what their feelings are at that moment."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Look" Remus said "I'm seeing Dumbledore in the morning to discuss arrangements for the exams. I'll ask him then. In the mean time there's a week until next divination class so try not to worry too much. Dumbledore will sort out her other classes this week if he thinks there might be a problem."  
  
Feeling a bit better Harry gave Ron a proper tour of the house and they hung around watching another quidditch match on the wireless before dinner.  
A/N Sorry it's taken so long to update. Homework, essays etc etc (long suffering sigh). Sorry if the gaps between chapters are a bit longer for a while. That goes for my other fic (muggle experience) too. 


	17. Transfigurations

DISCLAIMER: don't own Harry Potter. Not making any money from this.  
  
A/N; In case of any confusion, Harry will be at the Burrow one day a week, at Silvermoon manor with the other Griffindors two days a week, and taught alone for the remaining two days.  
  
THANKS FOR REVIEWS!!!!!!!!! They are really appreciated.  
  
ABANDONED CHAPTER 17  
  
The next day, Harry went to the Weasley's house for potions and care of magical creatures. After his stay there over the summer, Harry was glad to return there.  
  
Care of magical creatures was good. Hagrid had intended to bring a chemera (Vicious, bloodthirsty mix between a lion, goat and dragon), but Mrs Weasley wouldn't allow it, so they spent the lesson in the garden having a gnome flinging competition.  
  
Lunchtime allowed Harry to see Ginny briefly before she flooed off for her afternoon class. By the time potions came around, Harry was in a great mood.  
  
The class were lined up in the barn, cauldrons in front of them. Snape marched up to the front of the room and began to bark off instructions for how to make their potion (a complex elixer used to test for viruses.)  
  
Neville again melted his cauldron within 5 minutes of the class beginning.  
  
"Stupid boy!" Snape yelled at him "clean this messs up NOW. Then sit over there in the corner and watch the class instead."  
  
"that was so unfair.." Ron muttered to Harry  
  
"Weasley." Snape barked at Ron "this may be you're...home.. but at the moment you are in MY class so kindly pay attention!"  
  
"Yes sir." He responded, looking furious.  
  
At the end of the class, Snape marched over to Harry and handed him several potions, saying loudly "Dreamless sleep and calming potions, we can't have the golden boy being kept awake by nightmares now, can we?"  
  
Snape then stood, and turned away as though he was about to sweep from the room. He stopped suddenly, and grabbed his left arm reflexively just a pain shot through Harry's scar. Snape, paler than usual, took a deep breath and (with a glare at Harry) stormed out of the barn towards the main house.  
  
People in the room looked at Harry who was also a shade paler and at the potions he was holding.  
  
"Okay Harry?" Ron asked.  
  
"Yeah, of course" Harry, mimicking Snape, took a deep breath and began to stuff his things into his bag.  
  
People began to file out, leaving just Harry, Ron and Hermione. Ron and Hermione looked awkwardly at each other.  
  
"Guys, I'm fine. I just - sometimes - have trouble sleeping. It's nothing".  
  
Both Ron and Hermione knew full well that it was not nothing. "What about just now?"  
  
Voldemort was summoning his death eaters.  
  
"Oh"  
  
After a bit more awkward staring the three of them left and walked up to the house. Thankfully it was now devoid of Snape and the other Griffindors.  
  
"Want to stay for a snack Harry?" Mrs Weasley asked kindly as she saw him.  
  
"No thanks. Sirius wants me to come straight home. He said I was to ask you if your family would like to come to the Manor for Dinner on Saturday though. It's hos birthday so we're, you know, having a little party thing. Oh, and you can come too Hermione."  
  
"That would be wonderful thanks. Here I've just made this cake, take it back for you both to share."  
  
"Thank you. Hermione?"  
  
"I'd love to come."  
  
"Cool. See you then." Harry then stepped into the fireplace and returned home.  
  
"Harry was slightly surprised too see Remus around again. He and Sirius were in the kitchen bickering when Harry walked in.  
  
"Hi guys!" Harry said brightly, plopping the cake and potions onto the table.  
  
Both men jumped slightly, upon seeing him.  
  
"See Remus. I told you I wasn't a bad influence on the boy. I told him to come straight home, and he actually did."  
  
"Why weren't you watching the fireplace?"  
  
Sirius stood suddenly and dashed out of the room about the poor quality floo - alarm.  
  
"How was school?" Remus asked pleasently.  
  
"Ok. We had a gnome tossing tournemant."  
  
"Riiight."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Remus gestured towards the potions and said "Dreamless sleep?"  
  
"Yep"  
  
"I meant what I said before Harry. If you want to talk, I'll listen. So will Sirius."  
  
"I'm fine. Really." Some part of Harry realised that people only asked because they cared, but when were they going to realise? He didn't want to talk about the past. He had a home, friends..family. There was no point in dredging up the past. His new scars were fading quickly, and although he probably wasn't able to run a marathon yet, he felt ok.  
  
Harry suddenly realised that he had been staring into space, and snapped his head up. Remus was giving him the same look that he had been given by Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Did you speak to Dumbledore yet?"  
  
"Yes. He said he hadn't been able to detect anything wrong with Yrelawney, but he would reassign somebody elase to teach you divination for a while if she makes you uncomfortable."  
  
"Why, did I get that feeling from her then?"  
  
Remus leaned back thoughtfully. ""Dumbledore thinks it may be that she touched you at a moment when she was in control of her emotions, you know, in teaching mode."  
  
"And you?" harry asked, sensing that Remus disagreed  
  
"You said that she touched you in order to provide comfort. That sounds like an emotional act to me. I don't know. Just be careful ok?" Remus looked like he was going to add something else but changed his mind.  
  
"What?"  
  
"It just seems a bit strange that's all."  
  
"You think Dumbledore missed something?"  
  
"I'm not sure."  
  
Sirius came back in the kitchen looking annoyed. "If that thing breaks again then I'm writing to the shop for another one. We can't afford to have faulty safety equipment."  
  
"You've fixed it?" Remus asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Remus stood, "I should get going then. I need to take some Wolfsbane potion before sunset to prepare for the full moon in a couple of days. See you later." And with that he left the house, leaving just Harry and Sirius.  
  
After dinner the two sat in the front room. Harry was doing his homework, and Sirius was writing a long list on a piece of parchment. "What are you doing?" Harry asked  
  
"Lesson plan for tomorrow."  
  
"What are we doing?"  
  
"I thought we would start with transfiguration and then history of magic. After that, want to try some quidditch?"  
  
"really?"  
  
"This house is quite secluded. If we stay fairly low we can have a mini quidditch match!"  
  
Harry smiled. "I haven't been on a broom for ages! Although you do realise that I'll win don't you?"  
  
"Oh yeah?"  
  
"Definitely."  
  
"I'm bigger than you. Longer arms for ball catching."  
  
"My light weight will make me faster."  
  
After about 5 minutes the conversation dissolved into a huge fight, which consisted of throwing cushions at each other across the room. Once it had ended and Harry was laying on the floor under about 6 cushions, he began to laugh more than he had in months.  
  
Sirius came and dug him out, also laughing, which redoubled as he saw Harry's hair looking messier than usual, his glasses dangling off one ear and his tie knot just above his right shoulder.  
  
The two of them pulled themselves back onto their chairs, panting with exertion.  
  
When Harry got up the next morning went downstairs he began transfiguation with Sirius. They sat at the table side- by - side. Sirius decided they should turn some boring household objects in to works of art by using transfiguration.  
  
"Minerva wanted me to show you how to use your imagination in transfiguration. Therefore I want something that I can put on the mantelpiece. It's a wizarding tradition. You display your child's first attempt at imaginative transfiguration, to embarrass them with when they have kids of their own."  
  
"What did yours look like?"  
  
"A big black dog." Sirius said impressively, indicating a miniature if Padfoot on the mantelpiece.  
  
"Imaginative." Harry said with a very slight sarcastic edge.  
  
"Not you too! Remus and James kept on saying it wasn't imaginative, it was a self -portrait. When will my work be awknowledged for the pure genius behind it!?" Sirius exclaimed impressively.  
  
"It's a very nice figure."  
  
"Thank you. Now, let's see if you can do any better smarty - pants."  
  
After a talk by Sirius on what to do, Harry pointed his wand at the old boot in front of him concentrating hard on an object that he had many dreams of as a child. It began to take shape..there. Suspended on a large stand as to indicate that it was flying was a big motorbike, decorated with little lightning bolts.  
  
Siuius' jaw dropped. "That was mine!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"That bike. I had a flying motorbike identical to that!"  
  
"Really! When I was younger I had loads of dreams of it."  
  
"You remember!?" Sirius looked quite delighted. "I used to take you flying in it when you were a baby. Scared your mum witless."  
  
Suddenly, the dream image of the bike took on more depth. He could remember a voice talking to him kindly. He remembered laughing as a bird went past. He remembered someone flying alongside the bike on a broomstick.. A messy-black-haired someone. Their glasses sparkling in the sun.  
  
"What?" Said Sirius curiously.  
  
"I just remembered something."  
  
"What?"  
  
"We were on the bike together. My - My Dad was there. On a broomstick. He was laughing." Harry smiled, his first real memory of his parents.  
  
Realisation dawned on Sirius's face. "It was your first birthday. I wanted to take you up, but James was worried, so he came too. I remember you laughing at the owl you're mum had just sent a letter on. I pretended that we were racing with it."  
  
Sirius stood and placed it next to the big dog, then came and sat down again. He pulled out a book on the 'art' of transfiguration, and instructed Harry to take notes.  
  
Behind Harry, there was a rushing sound. Someone had just appeared in the fireplace, before they could do anything, the person pointed her wand at them and yelled "Stupify!"  
  
Harry awoke to see that he was lying on the floor of the dining room. A little way from him, Sirius was still unconscious. His hands tied together.  
  
Harry stood shakily, and looked around for the attacker.  
  
A/N sorry it's been so long! I warned you. I will try to be more prompt with my next update. 


	18. resolution

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter!! Don't sue!  
  
Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I can't believe I have so many now!  
  
Crazyfriendsfan: yeah - uh oh  
  
Epholge - thankx  
  
John - thank you  
  
Lil Lupin - I look forward to reading it!  
  
Jpalmgren - take a pill buddy.  
  
Katani Petitdra - have reviewed as quickly as poss. Please don't turn my pillow into rocks!  
  
Themidnightangel - horror!  
  
Centra-gal86 - thank you for reviewing! I'm sure the floo regulation panel are trembling.  
  
Abandoned - chapter 18 (!!!!!!!!)  
  
Harry gasped as he saw who it was, even though he had sort of been expecting it. Professor Trelawney was standing directly behind Harry with a length of rope in her hands.  
  
"You never do anything that you're told to do! Can't even stay unconscious long enough for me to tie you up!"  
  
Harry spluttered incoherently for a few seconds before saying "Why?" Ok, not very original, but it was the best he could manage under the circumstances.  
  
Professor Trelwaney pulled up the sleeve of her robes, revealing the dark mark, tattooed on her arm. "If you had kept your bloody empathy to yourself this wouldn't have been necessary. As it is, I have Dumbledore breathing own my neck, and a furious dark lord out for my blood because I was discovered."  
  
"you're a deatheater! But, then, why did he capture you when he did the rest of us?"  
  
"That filthy wormtail wasn't the only spy you know! I was placed in that school just before my master came into power all those years ago. I was to pose as an incompetent divination teacher. Appear eccentric, dippy. That way Dumbledore would feel sorry for me and I could observe from afar."  
  
Harry looked at her furiously.  
  
"Unfortunately, I had a vision about you just before you were born. Usually I am able to ensure that I am alone before I get a vision but that came so fast I couldn't get away from Dumbledore in time. The Dark Lord decided that I was to be punished. Due to various circumstances, he waited. His opportunity came when he attacked Hogwarts."  
  
"But - why did he let you escape?"  
  
"He didn't LET me escape. I was freed. Now I have the perfect cover - who would suspect someone who had been captured and tortured? I was to use my position as teacher to spy on you! You think the only protection here is a faulty floo alarm! No. Only a select group of people are actually able to enter this house without a direct link to the aurors being activated!"  
  
Harry backed away from the mad looking woman. She was clearly an excellent actress. Pretending to be incompetent, developing bizarre eccentricities like predicting student deaths - and not once being suspected by anybody!  
  
The woman lifted Harry's wand and snapped it. She then lifted her own and held it up to Harry. "Go to the fireplace."  
  
"No." if he was going to die today, there was no way that He was gonna let Voldemort use him to kill others.  
  
"Get into the fireplace!"  
  
"No." Maybe, she couldn't take him out of the house without his say so. Otherwise, he would be dead already.  
  
"Crucio." Harry fell to the floor, the agony that the cruciatus curse causes flooding his body. Eventually the curse was lifted. "Get in there now!" Trelawney barked at Harry  
  
Harry stood. Looking around the room for a potential weapon. There was a groan from Sirius. He was awake. His eyes widened as he looked around at Harry and Trelawney. He struggled with his bonds.  
  
Trelawney seemed overcome with sudden inspiration. She pointed her wand at Sirius. "The Fireplace now!"  
  
Harry froze. She wouldn't..  
  
"Crucio" Harry dived in front of the curse. It hit him full in the chest.  
  
"No!" Sirius shouted. Trelawney smiled cruelly at Harry seemingly enjoying holding him under the curse. When it was eventually lifted Harry was shaking badly. "Harry, I will ask you one more time. Get in there or he dies!"  
  
She strode over to Harry and yanked him to his feet. Harry staggered in the direction of the fireplace. Sirius stood between them and the fireplace. He was in dog form - apparently how he had managed to escape from the ropes. He transformed back into a man as Harry approached, and extended his arms around the boy, keeping him upright. "We are not going anywhere. Put the wand down."  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
Sirius sat Harry in a chair and stood his ground. Harry watched them argue, knowing that if the lost Sirius, that was it. He didn't care anymore. Professor Trelawney raised her wand, and as though seeing it on slow motion Harry stood, grabbed a random object off the shelf behind him and threw it, with all his strength at Trelawney.  
  
She crumpled to the floor and the flash of green light missed Sirius, shattering a window to his right. Sirius dashed over to the woman and took her wand. He then called Harry over to help him tie her up.  
  
Harry shakily walked over to her and using her rope bound her tightly. Sirius was talking to someone over the fireplace. He then crouched next to Harry and put his arm around one of his shoulders, whilst using the other to pick up the object that harry had thrown at her.  
  
The black dog glistened with her blood. "It may not be a very imaginative piece of transfiguration, but as a weapon - very original." Sirius said.  
  
Harrry forced a smile. At that moment Dumbledore and several others came bursting into the room through the fireplace. Minerva McGonnagal glared at the unconscious form and Dumbledore, alternately.  
  
"Are you both alright?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Yeah, we are now, Harry was hit twice by the cruciatus curse though."  
  
"Do you want to come back to Hogwarts with us?"  
  
"No. I want to spend some time with my Godson." Sirius paused ass Dumbledore nodded, then thoughtfully said "Albus?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"please don't employ anymore deatheaters. Otherwise, I may have to kill you." Sirius said this in a slightly humorous way, but Harry could feel the anger still coursing through Sirius.  
  
"I am truly sorry that you two have been through so much. But you have to realise that -" He was interrupted by Lupin's enterence.  
  
"I heard what happened. Is everyone alright?!"  
  
"Yes." Sirius said, still holding Harry protectively. Remus looked at the object in Sirius's hand.  
  
"Finally found a use for the thing then?"  
  
"It saved my life."  
  
Trelawney was waking up. She glared at Harry. Dumbledore and McGonnagall dragged her from the house. Mc Gonagall looking particularly smug, as she held her wand to the woman's head.  
Once everyone had gone, Sirius and Remus took Harry gently up to his room. Harry sat on the side of his bed.  
  
"Get some sleep Harry, you'll feel better." Sirius said. He and Remus turned, about to leave. All of the restraint Harry had been holding himself together with since his capture, his efforts to pretend it had never happened collapsed. He let out a dry sob. The two men spun round. Sitting either side of him, they held him comfortingly. Harry cried.  
  
In between sobs, he told his story. He told them everything that had been done to him. About all of his pitiful attempts to escape. The taunts the deatheaters used. How he had felt relieved when Volddemort had tried to kill him, glad that it was finally over.  
  
Even when Harry had stopped crying the three of them just sat, rocking slowly as the hours ticked by.  
*  
  
When Saturday came around and Sirius had his party, Harry was certainly ready for some merriment. Harry, Hermione and the four youngest Weasley children had fun playing quidditch outside, before going inside and testing some Weasley 'joke' products on the two marauders.  
  
Ron had decided that they should have suspected Trelawney ages ago because of her fascination with death. Hermione insisted that she had known there was something wrong which is why she dropped the subject in the first place. Not finding this very helpful, Harry took Ginny into the garden and they sat back happily watching the sunset, while Ginny filled him in on her activities since the school was split up, looking forward to September, when they could start back at Hogwarts.  
  
Ginny and Harry kissed as the sun disappeared under the trees.  
EPILOGUE:  
  
Everyone clapped as Harry cut his birthday cake; he was 16 years old. Harry had got 11 OWLS, impressive when the turbulent year was considered.  
  
Voldemort had kept a low profile - Dumbledore thought that he was probably trying to amass another army of deatheaters. As a result, Harry and Sirius had known stability, had been able to properly relax.  
  
Trelawney's premonition had not come to pass. Now Harry was 16, he hoped (and yes he knew he was being naive) that Voldemort would back off now that there was no urgent 'threat' from Harry.  
  
As Harry passed the first slice of cake to his godfather he smiled. He had waited 15 years for this. And he was not going to waste a single second of it.  
  
A/N Wow! Finally finished! Now I need to decide what to write next. 


	19. authors note

AUTHORS NOTE: This fic now has a sequel!! It is called The Tome Of Merketh. A sixth year fic.  
  
A book is found that contains a horrible power.  
  
Could it help in the final battle?  
  
Why is Harry having nightmares about Sirius?  
  
I would like to thank everyone that reviewed this story. You're all great! 


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